A mild earthquake measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale struck the New York metropolitan region Saturday night, leaving residents in a state of surprise and curiosity about its implications.
The tremor originated in Hasbrouck Heights, a suburb of New Jersey, at approximately 10:18 p.m. Eastern time and was recorded at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).
Many residents across northern New Jersey, southern New York, and as far as southern Connecticut reported feeling the ground shake, as confirmed by social media posts expressing their experiences.
The U.S. Geological Survey noted a significant level of interest, receiving over 10,000 responses to its ‘Did You Feel It?’ website from those who sensed the tremor.
Fortunately, local authorities reported no serious injuries or substantial damage resulting from the quake.
As of late Sunday morning, New York City officials, responsible for more than a million buildings, stated they had received no calls related to building issues following the earthquake.
Despite the common association of earthquakes with the West Coast of the United States, experts explain that seismic activity can occur in the East as well.
Instances of earthquakes in the region are seen about once every couple of years.
Jessica Turner, a geophysicist from the National Earthquake Information Center, emphasized that the Northeast does not experience large earthquakes frequently.
From 1950 onwards, only 43 earthquakes of similar magnitude and larger have occurred within a 155-mile (250-kilometer) radius of Saturday’s event.
In a historical context, a more substantial earthquake measuring 4.8 in magnitude occurred in Tewksbury, New Jersey, in April 2024, with tremors felt as far away as Boston and Baltimore.
That quake prompted travel disruptions, with some flights diverted and delays affecting Amtrak trains throughout the busy Northeast corridor.
In January 2024, a smaller quake measuring 1.7 was felt in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York, adding to the ongoing discussions about seismic activity in the region.
Earthquakes of significant magnitude are rare in this area, with only a couple occurring each century.
Historical records show damaging earthquakes in New York in 1737 and 1884, as reported by the USGS.
The differences in seismic activity between the East Coast and the West Coast can be attributed to their geological mechanisms.
While California is located at the boundary of the San Andreas fault system, where two tectonic plates, the Pacific Ocean plate and the North American plate, interact to create frequent earthquakes, New York resides in the middle of a tectonic plate, far from any plate boundaries.
The residual stresses in the interior of the plate make predicting earthquake occurrences more complex, even though the region is known to contain the Ramapo Fault line.
Geologists have not observed signs indicating that this fault has experienced a significant quake lately, although there have been smaller events.
Experts clarify that Saturday night’s quake cannot be definitively linked to the Ramapo Fault line.
Another notable difference between seismic events on the two coasts is the extent of the area that feels an earthquake of similar magnitude.
East Coast rocks are known to transmit energy more effectively, resulting in a stronger sensation of tremors felt over a wider radius compared to earthquakes in California.
Seismologist Lucy Jones explained that the harder and colder rocks of the East Coast are better transmitters of seismic energy, while California’s faults act more like a broken bell, which does not transmit energy as efficiently.
Though every earthquake increases the probability of another seismic event, experts suggest that the likelihood of aftershocks following a 3.0 quake is relatively low.
Jones estimated a 50-50 chance of no further recorded activity, insisting that if aftershocks occur, they are likely to fall below a felt magnitude.
In summary, the recent 3.0 magnitude earthquake serves as a reminder of the seismic potential present in the New York metropolitan area, despite it being a relatively mild event.
image source from：abcnews
