An earthquake rattled New York and much of the tri-state area on Friday, but instead of taking cover, residents took to the internet.
The 4.8-magnitude quake was reported about 5 miles north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, on Friday around 10:23 a.m., according to the United States Geological Survey. According to preliminary data collected by the agency, tremors were felt as far south as Charlotte, North Carolina, and as far north as Ottawa, Canada. In many states in between — including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania — resident reported everything from shaking computer screens to quivering buildings.
The epicenter was also about 45 miles away from New York City, where residents are seemingly trying to take the shake in stride.
Yelling “I’M WALKING HERE” at a tectonic plate
— Robby Slowik (@RobbySlowik) April 5, 2024
i love living in nyc bc the rest of the world is going to be hearing ab this earthquake all day lmao
— ce n’est pas erica (@sourhoestarter) April 5, 2024
Some checked in, letting the world know that they were safe in wake of the tremblor…
I AM FINE
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) April 5, 2024
… while others questioned the frenzy surrounding the East Coast earthquake. So far, there have been no reports of major damage, though the Federal Aviation Administration issued brief ground stops amid the initial chaos at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey.
Honestly, my first thought was, “Why does it feel like there’s a really big subway going underneath my apartment right now?”
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) April 5, 2024
It doesn’t seem so incredible, this video. pic.twitter.com/xHFneg9XVh
— Charlie Szymanski (@MrMetlHed) April 5, 2024
I thought the earthquake was construction. Says a lot about NYC.
— Mara Reinstein (@MaraReinstein) April 5, 2024
New York and much of the Northeast actually experience earthquakes on a somewhat frequent basis, though few have ever been this strong. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters Friday that it was “one of the largest earthquakes on the East Coast to occur in the last century.”
The strongest recorded earthquake to hit New York City was a 5.2-magnitude quake in 1884.
Earthquakes are much more common occurrences on the other side of the country, which is why people in California were particularly unimpressed by the shake.
California watching New Yorkers react to a 4.2 earthquake pic.twitter.com/gg0aAOVKhT
— Peyman Milanfar (@docmilanfar) April 5, 2024
California watching New York getting attention for an earthquake pic.twitter.com/vkOdgMp0x3
— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) April 5, 2024
Most of these posts, as many internet comedians were quick to point out, made it online well before New York managed to send an emergency alert out to phones across the state. It came some 40 minutes after the earthquake, around 11 a.m.
“Emergency Alert. 4.7 magnitude earthquake has occurred in the NYC area. Residents are advised to remain indoors and to call 911 if injured,” the text reads. It also provided a link to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Look Miss Emergency Alert System, if this had been a bad earthquake, we would’ve all been dead and/or buried for 40 minutes by the time you got yourself together to send this.
What you doing, Girl? pic.twitter.com/QhyBYPbyHD
— Clarence Patton (@cpattonbkny) April 5, 2024
that delayed emergency alert was scarier than the earthquake pic.twitter.com/ofg61QjdLC
— Saint Hoax (@SaintHoax) April 5, 2024
Getting the @nycemergencymgt emergency alert 40 minutes after the earthquake occurred and 32 minutes after I had already looked up the @USGS_Quakes stats and shared it with friends doesn’t actually make me feel safe pic.twitter.com/xlhvhkQ8in
— Ashley Soley-Cerro (@ashleydaysc) April 5, 2024
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