4.8 magnitude earthquake shakes NYC and beyond

NEW YORK — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 rattled the East Coast on Friday morning, prompting reports of the temblor in several states, according to officials with the U.S. Geological Survey.

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The quake was reported near Lebanon, New Jersey, just before 10:25 a.m., officials said. Reports to the USGS show that people from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts and from Washington, D.C., to Vermont felt the shaking Friday morning.

White House officials said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the earthquake and that “he is in touch with his team who are monitoring potential impacts.”

“The White House is in touch with federal, state, and local officials as we learn more,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the earthquake — which was earlier reported with a magnitude of 4.7 — was felt throughout New York.

“My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day,” she said in a post on social media.

It was not immediately clear whether the quake caused any damages or injuries.

Officials with the New York City Mayor’s Office noted that authorities did not immediately have “any reports of major impacts.” Hochul said officials knew of no “life-threatening” situations as of 11:45 a.m. EDT. Around 12:20 p.m., officials in New York City said they knew of no compromised buildings or injuries related to the earthquake.

USGS officials said Friday that quakes are “uncommon but not unheard of along the Atlantic Coast.”

It prompted officials to issue some ground stops at area airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The earthquake could also be felt in parts of Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro tweeted that his team and PEMA are actively monitoring the situation.

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