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What caused 4.8 magnitude earthquake in US Northeast? Geoscientist explains as aftershocks rattle New York, New Jersey and more
On Friday morning, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 rocked sections of New York and New Jersey. Geoscientist explains what caused this natural disaster.
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A magnitude 4.8 earthquake shook the northeastern United States on Friday morning
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The epicenter of the quake was detected about 45 miles west of New York City
The magnitude-4.8 earthquake near Lebanon, New Jersey, occurred at 10:23 local time (15:23 BST), and it was felt from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. The residents reported that they were rocked by a strong rumbling that caused damage to walls and flung belongings around their homes. According to the Associated Press, over 42 million individuals probably felt the effects of the earthquake, and many of them used social media to share their experiences.
Since the 1700s, the Northeast has seen more than 2,000 reported earthquakes, according to the National Earthquake Information Center. The one that struck New Jersey on Friday had a magnitude of 4.8 and didn't harm anything. The center has only identified 13 regional earthquakes as "damaging" thus far.
What caused the 4.8 magnitude earthquake in US Northeast
Numerous old faults in that region of New Jersey go from New York City to western New England, and from Philadelphia along the Appalachians in the other direction. These are fissures where the ground may tremble because to the rock on each side sliding due to gravity. Although tectonic plate motion is not currently active in the region, it was between 250 million and 300 million years ago.
The April 5 earthquake in New Jersey is comparable to the 3.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Buffalo, New York in 2023. Gravitational slide on those old structures was the cause of the shaking in both situations. In summary, rocks that have steep, preexisting fissures tend to slip a little. It's what took place in New Jersey.
Is earthquake magnitude 4.8 dangerous?
While a magnitude of 4.8 is significant, particularly for the Northeast, it's probably going to have little impact in comparison to much greater ones that result in significant damage and fatalities. Every digit represents a factor of ten due to the logarithmic scale used to measure earthquakes. This indicates that an earthquake of magnitude 6 is ten times bigger than one of magnitude 5.
Larger ones—such as the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan a few days ago—are connected to active plate margins, which are the points where two tectonic plates collide. Depending on how they were built, structures might be resistant to an earthquake of magnitude 4.8. Because of the San Andreas system, a significant plate boundary fault system, construction requirements are quite tight in states like California.
ALSO READ: New Jersey earthquake: Everything to know about the 4.8-magnitude tremor on East Coast
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