Earthquake shakes U.S. East Coast

[NBC News] – An earthquake struck the East Coast of the United States on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, causing buildings to shake and rattling nerves from Maryland to Maine.

The USGS tentatively measured the quake as a 4.8 temblor near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. It struck a little before 10:30 a.m. ET.

There have been no initial reports of major damage.

James Pittinger, mayor of Lebanon, New Jersey, called the earthquake “the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced. In an interview with MSNBC, Pittinger said he had not received reports of any significant damage so far, but added that the shaking caused his dog to run for cover and objects to fall off his shelves.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt across the state.

“My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day,” she wrote on X.

New York City Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy said that there were no reports of major impacts in the city following the earthquake.

Ground stops were issued at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and John F. Kennedy airport in New York City, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.

The Port Authority Transit Corp., which operates a rapid transit route between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, suspended service in the aftermath of the quake.

“Crews will inspect the integrity of the line out of an abundance of caution,” PATCO said in an update on X. “Once inspection is complete, service will resume. No timeframe. Updates to follow.”New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that there had been no impact on its service but that teams will be inspecting train lines.

While earthquakes in the northeast U.S. are rare, Buffalo, New York, was struck by a 3.8-magnitude quake in February 2023 — the strongest recorded in the area in 40 years.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a poxt on X that the state has activated its emergency operations center and asked the public not to call 911 unless they are experiencing an emergency.