A magnitude-4.8 earthquake shook buildings across the New York City region shortly after 10:20 a.m. Friday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The U.S.G.S. reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was in Lebanon, N.J., about 50 miles west of Manhattan. The shaking was reportedly felt in cities from Philadelphia to Boston.
Several East Coast airports issued ground stops halting air traffic in the immediate aftermath. The earthquake shook buildings in Manhattan and throughout the city, sending residents darting into the street wondering what had just happened.
The New York Police Department said it had no immediate reports of damage, but sirens could be heard all over the city. Several minutes later, smartphone alerts rang out, advising residents likely unaccustomed to such emergencies to stay indoors.
Mayor Eric Adams was being briefed on the earthquake, his spokesman, Fabien Levy, said in a social media post.
“While we do not have any reports of major impacts at this time, we’re still assessing the impact,” Mr. Levy wrote.
While most earthquakes in the Northeast go undetected, New Yorkers have felt several over the years.
A 2.2 magnitude earthquake rattled parts of New York and New Jersey in May of last year, and a 3.6 magnitude earthquake rocked the town of Adams Center, N.Y., the month before that. In 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia led to the evacuation of City Hall and Midtown office buildings in Manhattan.
The most significant tremors recorded in New York City occurred in 1884, Mr. Pratt said, when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake rumbled from beneath Coney Island.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
