Heading to Intrepid Museum on Monday for the solar eclipse is looking even more attractive after an earthquake shook the tri-state area leaving Hell’s Kitchen residents rattled. According to the United States Geological Survey at 10:23 am a magnitude 4.8 earthquake was registered 7 km north of Whitehouse Station in New Jersey.
W42ST took to social media to check in on residents and get their accounts of this rare event for NYC. Many were in disbelief that it was an earthquake — and a few made the doomsday connection with Monday’s solar eclipse. “Earthquake/Eclipse… Coincidence?” said Rick. The USGS has released an aftershock forecast with a 46% chance of at least one magnitude 3+ aftershock within the next week.
Alexander said “I felt it. Just woke me up out of my sleep. No damage but my pots and pans started shaking. I’m on an elevated bed and felt the whole thing shaking as well.”
Enrique, who is originally from San Diego, CA said he was used to them and that he “knew it was an earthquake cause I opened the window and there was no big truck going by. Plus the whole building was shaking in the core vs just an area.”
Malik told us “It shook Clinton Manor. Felt the walls trembling and saw my mirrors shaking for a few seconds but it didn’t last long. Could feel the floor vibrating as well.”
Andre, who lives on the 37th floor of Manhattan Plaza said “The doors on my cabinets were moving and I was bouncing around on my couch.” Andre noted he has experienced two earthquakes in California and two others here in NYC but this was the strongest one he has felt in the city.
We asked firefighters testing water hydrants along W45th Street if they had felt the earthquake. “Yeh, we felt it. It was a little one,” they said, with one adding “all in a days work”.
Wyndi told W42ST, “honestly thought it was just really heavy trucks rolling by. I looked out onto 10th Ave and everyone looked totally unphased.”
Another resident responded to us on social media saying, “I felt it… I was sleeping late and my bed shook and I thought it was because my neighbor was having forceful sex and maybe it was pushing against the wall but now I know what it was!”
Chad took a more lighthearted approach, sending a text saying: “What’s shaking?” He was at work downtown and “couldn’t imagine it was an earthquake but anything making the whole building shudder got me to urge my co-worked to evacuate.”
An emergency alert was sent out to wireless phones at 11:02am, nearly 40 minutes after the initial earthquake. Fabien Levy, Deputy Mayor for Communications, posted on X that “NYC Emergency Management would be sending out a wireless emergency message to all cell phones in the area shortly”
NYC Emergency Management’s website says to “Drop, Cover and Hold On: Drop to the floor, cover your head and neck with your arms. Take additional cover under a solid piece of furniture or next to an interior wall. Do not get in a doorway as this does not provide protection from falling or flying objects and you will likely not be able to remain standing. Hold on to a sturdy piece of furniture and be prepared to move with it. Stay where you are until the shaking stops.”
Meanwhile, residents who left their buildings on W54th Street thought they had stepped back in time. The street has been dressed to look like the 1990s for TV series Power Book III for filming today. Even the parking signs had changed — and posters for 1993 concerts are plastered along the street.
While flights have been grounded temporarily at 11am today at both Newark and JFK airports, the Yankees home opener is set to go on at 1pm!
Us in California are use to it and glad no damage or injuries,I am sure all will be ok with a little 2.0 after shock just now relax! over the top with this coverage they have no visable damage or injury but I guess it’s news for you all on the east coast I am sure there is more important things to focus on be safe all
Thanks, Debbie, for your two cents. Earthquakes aren’t a common occurrence here. When we need the California’s commentary on our lives in New York, we will let you know. Thanks again for the empathy.