By The newspaper
06 Apr 2024, 08:32 AM EDT
At least 12 aftershocks were felt in the tri-state area after the 4.8 earthquake reported Friday morning that impacted residents, mainly in New Jersey and New York.
The strongest of the aftershocks was magnitude 4.0 near Gladstone, NJ, around 6 p.m.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the aftershocks were recorded after the 10:30 am earthquake.
In total, 12 aftershocks were identified since that time when the first earthquake that shook the East coast took place. USGS geologist Timothy Clements told NBC News that subsequent tremors measured above 1.8 points.
The report does not specify up to what time the aftershocks were calculated.
Clements did not rule out the existence of more aftershocks that would have been below 1.8 points.
The USGS estimated that aftershocks could last for weeks, although the chances of any exceeding 5 points are very low.
Aftershocks are small earthquakes that occur after one of greater intensity. “They are an indication that the (tectonic) plates are trying to ‘accommodate’ themselves in the new geological situation in which they find themselves after the main earthquake,” explains an article in National Geographic.
Tectonic plates are those that make up the lithosphere or surface layer of the Earth.
The 4.8 earthquake had its epicenter in Lebanon, New Jersey. Its effects were not only felt in the tri-state area, but also from Baltimore to Boston.
In the case of the Big Apple, colossal structures such as the Statue of Liberty shook. The movement as a result of the tremor was captured by a security camera.
In NY, no structural damage or injuries have been reported so far.
However, in the case of Newark, three buildings were declared “unsafe” due to breaks caused by the earthquake.
The buildings are located on 7th Avenue, reported Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé. In that state, no injuries were reported as a result of the event, but at least 10 families had to be relocated.
Yesterday’s earthquake was the largest on the East Coast in a decade, USGS said. The entity’s records reveal that an earthquake of this type occurs every 100 years.
More than 42 million people felt the effects of the quake, whose epicenter was located near Whitehouse Station, NJ, 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of New York City and 30 miles (80 kilometers) north of Philadelphia. in Pennsylvania.
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