On a seemingly ordinary Friday morning, the ground in North Jersey began to tremble, signaling the arrival of a significant seismic event. At 10:23 am, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter near the town of Readington in Hunterdon County, sent shockwaves through the region, leaving residents and authorities alike scrambling to assess the damage and potential aftershocks.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) quickly confirmed the magnitude of the quake, which was felt as far as New York City, Philadelphia, and even Boston. Governor Phil Murphy promptly activated the State Emergency Operations Center, urging residents not to call 911 unless they had a genuine emergency.
In the aftermath, local police departments reported receiving numerous calls from concerned citizens, though there were no immediate reports of any injuries or major structural damage. The Teaneck school district, located just a few miles from the epicenter, sent out an alert to parents, assuring them that students and staff were safe and that the district was currently assessing the safety of its facilities.
“It was quite a startling experience,” recounted Rita Weiden, an East Brunswick resident who was working in a 12-story building in New York City when the earthquake struck. “The floor was shaking under our feet, and once we realized it was an earthquake, we all used the staircase to get outside. Once outside, I saw many people on their phones, and I think everyone relaxed once they read that the quake was only 4.8 magnitude and that the aftershocks would likely be less severe.”
Residents in other parts of the state also reported feeling the tremors, including Sharon Girvan, who lives in the North Branch section of Branchburg, near Raritan Valley Community College. “I was in my basement when I heard a really loud boom, and then the house started to shake, with everything rattling on the shelves,” Girvan said. “I was so scared that I thought the house was going to come down.”
As the day progressed, reports of minor damage and unstable structures began to trickle in from Newark and Bergen County, though the full extent of the quake’s impact remained unclear. Transportation hubs, such as Newark Liberty International Airport, also felt the ripple effects, with the airport experiencing departure delays of up to an hour and 7 minutes, as well as arrival delays for airborne aircraft of up to an hour.
The NJ Transit rail service and Amtrak were also affected, with system-wide delays of up to 20 minutes in both directions due to bridge inspections following the earthquake. Amtrak implemented speed restrictions throughout the Northeast until all necessary inspections were completed.
For longtime New Jersey residents, the Friday morning earthquake was a stark reminder of the state’s seismic history. While the Garden State is not known for its frequent earthquake activity, it has experienced several significant tremors over the years, the most recent being a 4.1 magnitude quake that struck near Plainfield in 2018.
The last time New Jersey experienced an earthquake of this magnitude was in 1783, when a 5.3 magnitude quake centered in Monmouth County caused widespread damage and panic throughout the region. Fortunately, the impact of the 2024 quake appears to have been relatively limited, thanks in large part to advancements in building codes and seismic monitoring technology.
Nonetheless, the event has sparked renewed discussions about earthquake preparedness and the need for a comprehensive plan to mitigate the potential risks associated with these natural disasters. Experts have long warned that while New Jersey may not be situated on a major fault line, the state’s unique geological characteristics and proximity to active seismic zones in the Northeast make it susceptible to occasional tremors.
“This earthquake is a wake-up call for us all,” said Dr. Emily Schultz, a seismologist at Rutgers University. “While the impact may have been relatively minor this time, we need to take these events seriously and ensure that our infrastructure, emergency response systems, and community preparedness plans are up to the task of handling a more significant quake in the future.”
As the cleanup and inspection process continues in the days and weeks ahead, residents and authorities alike will be closely monitoring the situation for any signs of aftershocks or additional damage. The USGS has already provided a detailed forecast, estimating a 34% chance of a magnitude 3 or greater aftershock in the next day, and a 46% chance in the next week.
In the meantime, New Jerseyans are being urged to heed the advice of emergency responders and to remain vigilant, ready to take cover and seek safety should another tremor occur. The Friday morning earthquake may have been a relatively short-lived event, but its impact on the state’s collective psyche is likely to linger for some time, serving as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature’s forces.
