Diplomats at the United Nations Security Council were startled in their seats, flights were briefly halted, and furniture trembled throughout New York City on Friday when an earthquake rocked the bustling metropolis. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries, and the iconic skyline of New York remained unscathed.
“I AM FINE,” reassured the Empire State Building via its official account.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake registered a magnitude of 4.8.
In Lebanon, New Jersey, store supervisor Dominika Uniejewska, 50, expressed her shock after being awakened by the quake. “I’m still trembling,” she said. “I’ve never felt such a powerful earthquake before. Although I’ve experienced some minor ones in the past, they pale in comparison to this. The entire house was shaking vigorously. The bed shook, and the house emitted rumbling sounds.”
“I rushed to check on my dog. Fortunately, the dog was unharmed.”
In Brooklyn, buildings shook, causing cupboard doors and fixtures to rattle, as reported by an AFP correspondent.
During a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York discussing the situation in Gaza, proceedings were briefly interrupted by the earthquake.
“Is that an earthquake?” remarked Janti Soeripto, a representative from Save the Children, who was speaking at the time. One diplomat quipped, “One for the memoirs.”
Shortly afterward, many diplomats’ cell phones emitted the emergency alert system signal, confirming the quake.
“Residents are urged to stay indoors and to dial 911 if injured,” stated the emergency alert.
Flight operations were suspended at several airports in the area, including La Guardia in New York, Philadelphia, and Newark in New Jersey.
“Air traffic operations are being restored as swiftly as possible,” stated the Federal Aviation Administration.
Social media users across Philadelphia, New York, and Long Island reported feeling the earthquake, with some sharing images of toppled garden furniture accompanied by captions like “we will rebuild.”
“Earthquake Rattles Atlantic Coast: USGS Provides Insight, President Biden Briefed”
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), earthquakes are infrequent but not unprecedented along the Atlantic Coast, an area characterized as a “passive-aggressive margin” due to the absence of an active plate boundary between the Atlantic and North American plates.
US President Joe Biden received a briefing on the earthquake, confirmed his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The White House is coordinating with federal, state, and local authorities as we gather more information,” she added.
The USGS notes that moderately damaging earthquakes occur approximately twice a century within the urban corridor, with smaller earthquakes felt every two to three years.
On social media, some humorously speculated whether the earthquake, occurring just days before the April 8 solar eclipse visible across much of the northeastern United States, signaled the end of the world.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, acknowledging the city’s lack of familiarity with earthquakes, cautioned residents about potential aftershocks during a hastily arranged press briefing.
AFP
