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As millions geared up to watch the sun and moon’s rare celestial spectacle, Mother Earth continued to put on a show of her own in the days after a rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook much of the Northeast on Friday, April 5.
Since then, at least 44 aftershocks have been recorded in Hunterdon and Somerset counties in New Jersey, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The tremors, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 2.6, were felt across New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island, as well as in parts of Connecticut and the lower Hudson Valley.
Three aftershocks of magnitude 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 were confirmed on Monday, April 8. The largest was centered 3 ½ miles northeast of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey at a depth of 3 ½ miles, USGS data showed.
The biggest aftershock came hours after the main event when a 4.0 magnitude tremor again rattled much of the region just after 6 p.m. Friday.
Earthquake intensity, as measured by the Richter scale, ranges from 1.0 magnitude (micro) to 9.9 (extreme).
Aftershocks are smaller quakes that occur in the same general area during the days to years after a larger event. They occur within one to two fault lengths away and during the period of time before a region’s seismic activity returns to normal, USGS said.
While certainly rare, New York has experienced its share of noticeable shakers over the years.
The strongest with an epicenter in New York, a magnitude 5.8, occurred in Lawrence County in the town of Massena on Sept. 5, 1944. The quake was felt as far away as New York City and Boston and caused approximately $2 million in damage.
Below are some of the strongest quakes ever felt in the Northeast, according to historical data from the USGS:
- 5.8 – Louisa County, Virginia on Aug. 23, 2011: This quake was felt throughout New York and Connecticut, and resulted in office buildings being evacuated in New York City.
- 5.3 – Clinton County, NY near Au Sable Forks on April 4, 2002
- 5.3 – Tamworth, New Hampshire on Dec. 20, 1940
- 5.2 – Perth, Canada on Feb. 10, 1914
- 5.1 – New Jersey on Nov. 30, 1783
- 4.9 – Adirondack Region, NY on Nov. 4, 1877
- 4.6 – Lake Champlain area, NY on May 28, 1897
- 4.0 – Westchester County, NY near Ardsley on Oct. 22, 1985
The USGS encourages anyone who feels an earthquake to report shaking on its website.
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