Late Friday morning, we New Yorkers were enjoying a break from the rain when we were rudely affronted with a far more alarming meteorological phenomenon: an earthquake. A 4.8 magnitude quake hit 40 miles west of New York near Lebanon, New Jersey, causing tremors throughout all five boroughs and along the East Coast between Philadelphia and Boston.
According to scientists, New York experiences tiny earthquakes every year, but most go undetected. The last time we felt one this widely was in 2011, when a 5.8 seismic event in Virginia caused police to evacuate then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg from City Hall.
Much like 2011, Friday’s quake doesn’t seem to have done much damage. During a noon press conference, Mayor Eric Adams said there had not yet been any reports of “major impacts or injuries,” though one New Jersey family’s potted plant apparently incurred some bruising. But given the fact that living on the East Coast generally does not include feeling tectonic plates shift 20 stories beneath you, the city is a bit on edge. Naturally, a lot of us have found solace on X, where our neighbors are also freaking out (and Googling “What is an aftershock?”). It’s not just the plebs — here’s how New York celebrities are reacting.
Do you think the rats are okay?
By Danielle Cohen , 2024-04-05 19:23:36
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