4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey shakes New York City

Reuters New York

NY

Updated Friday, April 5, 2024-17:06

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the New York City region this Friday morning,

according to the United States Geological Survey

, shaking buildings and surprising residents in an area that rarely experiences notable seismic activity.

The epicenter of the earthquake was

near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey

, the USGS said. No damage was reported at the moment. The European Mediterranean Seismological Center initially measured the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake was felt throughout the region

, including New York City, New Jersey, northern Pennsylvania and western Connecticut, according to Reuters and social media journalists.

Charita Walcott, a 38-year-old resident of the Bronx borough of New York, said the earthquake felt "like a

violent bang that lasted about 30 seconds

or so." "It was like being in a drum circle, that vibration," she said. .