Northeast US Startled by Earthquake Between NYC and Philadelphia; No Major Damage

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 shook skyscrapers and suburbs across the northeastern US on Friday, startling millions of people in an area unaccustomed to such tremors. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said over 42 million people might have felt the quake, centred near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. While there were no immediate reports of serious damage, officials were checking bridges and other major infrastructure.Whitehouse Station Fire Chief Tim Apgar reported no injuries but said responders fielded some calls from people who smelled gas. Some stones were knocked loose at a historic site, Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill, built in 1760 and supplied grain to George Washington's troops during the American Revolution. Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than western edges of the US because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates.The USGS posted on social platform X that a 4.8-magnitude quake is not large enough to cause damage, except for some minor effects near the epicenter. However, Friday's quake caused some disruption. Flights to New York, Newark, and Baltimore airports were held at their origins for a time while officials inspected runways for cracks. Traffic through the Holland Tunnel between Jersey City, New Jersey, and lower Manhattan was stopped for about 10 minutes for inspections.In midtown Manhattan, motorists blared their horns on shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a boom and felt their building shaking. Cellphone circuits were overloaded for a time as people tried to reach loved ones and figure out what was going on. Later, phones blared with earthquake alerts during the New York Philharmonic's morning performance.New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there were no indications of major safety or infrastructure problems from the earthquake. City Buildings Commissioner James Oddo said officials would watch out for any delayed cracks or other effects on the city's 1.1 million buildings. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout the state but had no reports of any life-threatening problems.President Joe Biden spoke to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy about Friday's earthquake, and the White House said the administration would provide help if needed.