A magnitude 4.7 earthquake shook buildings across the New York City region shortly after 10:20 a.m. Friday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The U.S.G.S. reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was near Whitehouse Station, N.J., about 40 miles west of New York City. The agency estimated the depth of the bedrock rupture at 2.9 miles. In nearby Lebanon, N.J., china plates rattled in diners and frightened residents darted into streets to find trees, cars and the ground shaking.
The earthquake was not a rarity for the New York area — numerous small temblors go unnoticed every year, geologists say — but its strength and intensity unsettled a region more accustomed to flooded roadways and snow-covered sidewalks than trembling walls.
Several minor aftershocks were reported in New Jersey in the hours afterward, including one with a magnitude of 2.2 that struck at 1:32 p.m. near the original quake’s epicenter, according to the U.S.G.S.
The New York Police Department said it had no immediate reports of damage. Several East Coast airports issued ground stops halting air traffic in the immediate aftermath, but flights later resumed as normal.
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement Friday morning that New York City did not have any reports of “major impacts or injuries,” and that the city would continue its inspections of critical infrastructure.
Later, in a news conference, Mr. Adams urged New Yorkers to be on alert for aftershocks but should otherwise proceed with their activities. “New Yorkers should go about their normal day,” Mr. Adams said.