A small 2.9 magnitude earthquake was felt in New Jersey on Saturday morning, just three weeks after a more powerful 4.8 quake hit the same area. The recent earthquake hit near Tewksbury, located in Hunterdon County about 35 miles west of New York City. It is uncertain whether this seismic activity was an aftershock from the April 5 earthquake that was centered near Whitehouse Station, just five miles south of Tewksbury. The April 5 earthquake was felt from Washington D.C. to Maine and resulted in more than 130 aftershocks in the region.
Residents in the affected areas, such as Fox News Digital editor Ashley Papa, have reported feeling the ground shake during both earthquakes. Papa described feeling the house shake strongly and hearing a rumbling sound during the recent earthquake. She mentioned that it was the strongest aftershock since the previous earthquake in April, indicating that the frequency and intensity of the seismic activity have left residents shocked and wondering about the cause. The seismic activity has also affected pets, with many showing signs of fear and anxiety due to the ongoing earthquakes.
Earthquakes are rare along the East Coast, with the most powerful one in recent history striking Virginia in 2011, measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale. The recent earthquakes in New Jersey follow a 1.7 magnitude earthquake in New York City earlier in the year. Seismologist John Ebel from Boston College has warned of the unpredictability of earthquakes, stating that a quake above 5.0 on the Richter scale occurs once every 120 years. He stated that there is a possibility of a damaging earthquake occurring in the region, highlighting the difficulty in predicting such events.
Ebel noted that the April 5 earthquake left seismologists puzzled as it did not occur on the Ramapo Fault zone, a series of small fault lines running through New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The fault zone spans over 185 miles and was formed about 200 million years ago. The fact that the recent earthquakes did not occur on the Ramapo Fault zone underscores the challenges in predicting and understanding earthquake activity in the region. Ebel emphasized that while earthquakes cannot be predicted with certainty, there is a possibility of future damaging earthquakes occurring.
The ongoing seismic activity in New Jersey has raised concerns about the region potentially experiencing a major earthquake. Residents and experts alike are questioning the preparedness of the region for such an event, given the frequency of aftershocks and the unexpected nature of the recent earthquakes. While earthquakes remain rare along the East Coast, the recent events have prompted a reevaluation of the region’s earthquake readiness and the need for increased awareness and preparedness among residents and officials to mitigate potential risks associated with future earthquakes.