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The 4.8 magnitude quake, centered about 60 miles west of Manhattan in Hunterdon County, New Jersey at a depth of nearly three miles, struck at 10:23 a.m., according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
There have not been any reports of injuries or significant damage to buildings.
Shaking was felt throughout the region, including in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Columbia, and Greene counties, according to the USGS' interactive "Did You Feel It?" page.
Among those who felt the earth move was Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was in a state budget meeting at the Capitol. Speaking at a press conference, Hochul said she was taking the event “extremely seriously,” especially with the possibility of aftershocks.
“It's been a very unsettling day, to say the least. We have not felt an earthquake of this level since about 2011,” she said, referring to the 5.8 magnitude quake that struck the Piedmont region of Virginia on Aug. 23, 2011.
Hochul said she was directing the state’s Office of Emergency Management to conduct a damage assessment and find out whether any bridges or tunnels were compromised. The assessment will also cover state roads and major transmission lines and dams.
Her office has also been in contact with local utilities to make sure that gas and electric service hasn’t been disrupted, as well as the Port Authority and the MTA to ensure the structural integrity of the subway system.
“At this point, heading into an hour and a half after the effects, we've not identified any life-threatening situations, but we are certainly asking our local law enforcement and emergency services teams to be on guard for that as well,” Hochul said.
“But again, we are going to be reviewing all potentially vulnerable infrastructure sites throughout the State of New York that is critically important in the aftermath of an event like this.”
Hochul added that she has been in contact with the White House and Sen. Chuck Schumer, with both offering their assistance.
“I also immediately spoke to Gov. Phil Murphy to offer any assistance and to find out what is happening in his state, which again was the epicenter,” she said.
While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded all flights at Newark and John F. Kennedy airports, the quake did not disrupt operations at Albany International Airport.
“We can confirm there was a special visitor at ALB at approximately 10:23 this morning,” the airport said on X. “All kidding aside, the airport continues to operate as normal and there have been no impact to air service as a result of the recent earthquake. All flights are departing and arriving on time.”
Though Friday’s earthquake was among the largest to hit the Northeast in the last century, it is classified as a "light" quake on the Richter scale, which runs from a 1.0 magnitude (micro) to 9.9 (extreme).
The largest earthquake ever to occur in New York was a magnitude 5.9 that struck Massena in Lawrence County on Sept. 5, 1944. It was felt as far away as New York City and Boston and caused approximately $2 million in damage.
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