Unusually powerful M4.8 Earthquake struck on Friday Morning near New York City in The United States.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on April 5th, 2024. Last updated May 4th, 2024.

Under land 40 miles from New York City in The United States, an unusually powerful M4.8 earthquake occurred in the morning of Friday April 5th, 2024. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in The United States, 40 miles (64 km) west of New York City in New York. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 2 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Apr 5, 2024 10:23AM (New York Time) - Apr 5, 2024 14:23 Universal Time.
Location:	40 mi west of New York City, New York, The United States. Coordinates 40°41'47"N 74°45'35"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 4.8 Detected by 20 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.027 .
Depth:	2 mi (3 km) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VII Very Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Potential tsunami risk The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Potential tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

There is a potential tsunami risk in the aftermath of this earthquake, immediately evacuate to higher grounds away from coastal areas and monitor advice from local authorities. The US Geographic Survey organization has indicated a potential risk for tsunami's following this earthquake.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 4.8. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 2 mi (3 km). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 69% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 98% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 98% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 43 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 43 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

An estimated 10,560 people were exposed to level VI. At this level, strong shaking and probably light damage can be expected. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 22 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
3,172,000	II	Very weak	None
22,120,000	III	Weak	Probably none
17,260,000	IV	Light	Likely none
210,700	V	Moderate	Very light
10,560	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in The United States . Located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Bridgewater (New Jersey, The United States) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Bridgewater is estimated to be around level V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (moderate shaking, very light damage).

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. New York City is located 40 mi to the east and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Brooklyn is located 43 mi to the east and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Queens is located 48 mi to the east and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage).

A complete list of nearby places is included below. Estimated intensity data (MMI) sourced from a shake-map published by the US Geographic Survey is shown where available (cities without data probably experienced little impact).

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
9 mi (14 km) SE from epicenter	Bridgewater New Jersey, The United States.	V Moderate
11 mi (18 km) E from epicenter	Basking Ridge New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (23 km) ESE from epicenter	Warren Township New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (23 km) NE from epicenter	Randolph New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
16 mi (26 km) ENE from epicenter	Morristown New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
17 mi (27 km) NE from epicenter	Dover New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
17 mi (27 km) SSE from epicenter	Hillsborough New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
18 mi (29 km) ESE from epicenter	North Plainfield New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
19 mi (31 km) ESE from epicenter	Plainfield New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
20 mi (32 km) ESE from epicenter	South Plainfield New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
20 mi (32 km) E from epicenter	Scotch Plains New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
21 mi (33 km) ENE from epicenter	Parsippany New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
22 mi (35 km) E from epicenter	Westfield New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
22 mi (35 km) ESE from epicenter	Edison New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
22 mi (35 km) SE from epicenter	New Brunswick New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
24 mi (38 km) SE from epicenter	Piscataway New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
26 mi (42 km) SE from epicenter	East Brunswick New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
26 mi (42 km) E from epicenter	Union New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
27 mi (43 km) SE from epicenter	Sayreville New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
27 mi (44 km) E from epicenter	Irvington New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
28 mi (45 km) ENE from epicenter	West Orange New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
29 mi (46 km) E from epicenter	Elizabeth New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
29 mi (47 km) ESE from epicenter	Perth Amboy New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
29 mi (47 km) E from epicenter	East Orange New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
30 mi (48 km) ENE from epicenter	Wayne New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
31 mi (50 km) E from epicenter	Newark New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
32 mi (52 km) W from epicenter	Bethlehem Pennsylvania, The United States.	III Weak
33 mi (53 km) ENE from epicenter	Clifton New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
33 mi (53 km) S from epicenter	Trenton New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
34 mi (54 km) ESE from epicenter	Staten Island New York, The United States.	IV Light
34 mi (55 km) ENE from epicenter	Paterson New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
36 mi (58 km) E from epicenter	Jersey City New Jersey, The United States.	IV Light
39 mi (62 km) W from epicenter	Allentown Pennsylvania, The United States.	III Weak
39 mi (63 km) E from epicenter	Sunset Park New York, The United States.	IV Light
40 mi (64 km) E from epicenter	New York City New York, The United States.	III Weak
40 mi (65 km) E from epicenter	Borough Park New York, The United States.	IV Light
42 mi (68 km) E from epicenter	Gravesend New York, The United States.	IV Light
42 mi (68 km) E from epicenter	Manhattan New York, The United States.	III Weak
43 mi (69 km) E from epicenter	Brooklyn New York, The United States.	IV Light
43 mi (70 km) E from epicenter	Harlem New York, The United States.	IV Light
43 mi (70 km) E from epicenter	East Harlem New York, The United States.	IV Light
43 mi (70 km) E from epicenter	Sheepshead Bay New York, The United States.	IV Light
43 mi (70 km) E from epicenter	East Flatbush New York, The United States.	IV Light
43 mi (70 km) E from epicenter	Astoria New York, The United States.	IV Light
44 mi (71 km) ENE from epicenter	Washington Heights New York, The United States.	IV Light
46 mi (74 km) E from epicenter	East New York New York, The United States.	IV Light
48 mi (77 km) ENE from epicenter	Yonkers New York, The United States.	IV Light
48 mi (77 km) ENE from epicenter	The Bronx New York, The United States.	IV Light
48 mi (78 km) E from epicenter	Queens New York, The United States.	IV Light
50 mi (80 km) E from epicenter	Jamaica New York, The United States.	IV Light
56 mi (90 km) SSW from epicenter	Philadelphia Pennsylvania, The United States.	III Weak
68 mi (110 km) ENE from epicenter	Stamford Connecticut, The United States.	III Weak
78 mi (125 km) SSW from epicenter	Wilmington Delaware, The United States.	III Weak
138 mi (222 km) SW from epicenter	Baltimore Maryland, The United States.	III Weak
149 mi (239 km) NE from epicenter	Springfield Massachusetts, The United States.	III Weak
173 mi (279 km) SW from epicenter	Washington Washington, D.C., The United States.	II Weak
175 mi (281 km) ENE from epicenter	Coventry Rhode Island, The United States.
176 mi (284 km) SW from epicenter	Arlington Virginia, The United States.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is VI.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 168 people in 4 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 168 people have reported shaking in 60 places in 4 countries (Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Jamaica).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Montreal, Québec, Canada: 19 people.
Chatham-Douglastown, New Brunswick, Canada: 17 people.
Beloeil, Québec, Canada: 14 people.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: 13 people.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: 10 people.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada: 7 people.
Kanata, Ontario, Canada: 6 people.
Oka-Kanesatake, Québec, Canada: 6 people.
Saint Catharines-Niagara, Ontario, Canada: 5 people.
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada: 4 people.

2 Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 2 smaller aftershocks occurred. At a distance of 0.8 mi (1.3 km) east-southeast of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 8 hrs later. It measured a magnitude of 3.7

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 4.8	Apr 5, 2024 10:23AM (New York Time)	-
Aftershock	M 2.6	7 mins later Apr 5, 2024 10:29AM (New York Time)	0.6 mi (0.9 km) SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 3.7	8 hrs later Apr 5, 2024 05:59PM (New York Time)	0.8 mi (1.3 km) ESE from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

This is an unusually powerful earthquake

No earthquake of this strength has struck this region for a long time. Our data goes back 10 years, and no earthquakes measuring a magnitude of 4.8 or higher have been detected within 300 km (186 mi) of this epicenter.

Sources

Last updated 04/05/24 01:18 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.