An earthquake shook things up in the New York metro area Saturday night.
A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.0 hit Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, at 10:18 p.m., according to the United States Geological Survey, or USGS.
There have not been reports of injuries or of structural damage, said Jonathan Tytell, a geophysicist at the USGS.
The earthquake has a preliminary depth of 10 kilometers, which is shallow relative to others that have happened on Earth, he said.
No major impacts were reported shortly after the quake, NYC Emergency Management said. The agency reported that tremors may have been felt in parts of the city.
New Yorkers should be prepared for aftershocks that could occur minutes, hours or even days after the initial event, a post on the agency’s X account said. The post also recommended that those who felt shaking check for hazards like items that moved, falling debris or cracks.
The Empire State building made sure to let New Yorkers know it survived the shake, posting on X: “I AM FINE.”
Tytell said the earthquake was “substantially less life threatening” than the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia that prompted tsunami warnings in the U.S.
Those in the area of Saturday’s quake can expect 1.0 magnitude aftershocks, Tytell said, but whether this was a precursor to something larger is unlikely.
He also said he did not think this was an aftershock to the 4.8-magnitude earthquake in the area that took place in April 2024.
