Northeastern Region Shaken by Earthquake | Global News

An earthquake centred between New York and Philadelphia shook skyscrapers and suburbs across the northeastern US for several seconds Friday morning, causing no major damage but startling millions of people in an area unaccustomed to such tremors.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported a quake at 10:23 a.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8, centred near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, or about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. The agency’s figures indicated that over 42 million people might have felt the rumbling.

People from Baltimore to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border reported feeling the ground shake. While there were no immediate reports of serious damage, officials were checking bridges and other major infrastructure. Amtrak slowed trains throughout the busy Northeast Corridor, and a Philadelphia-area commuter rail line suspended service out of caution.

Pictures and decorative plates tumbled off the wall in Christiann Thompson’s house in Whitehouse Station. Thompson was volunteering at the local library when the quake hit, leaving few effects, but she got a report from her husband on the scene at home.

The earthquake slowed travel along the East Coast, with some flights diverted and traffic snarled on roads and rails for runway, bridge, and tunnel inspections. Flights to the Newark, New York, and Baltimore airports were held at their origins for a time while officials inspected runways for cracks.

President Joe Biden said he had spoken to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy about the earthquake and that the administration would provide help if needed to state and local officials. The earthquake serves as a reminder of the East Coast’s vulnerability to seismic activity and the importance of preparedness in the face of natural disasters.