Rare, Minor Quake Hits New York City Area
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A rare, very minor earthquake was felt in the New
York City metropolitan area on Wednesday, but no injuries or damage
were reported, officials said.
The National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, recorded
a preliminary measurement of 2.5 magnitude for the quake at 7.34 a.m.
EST. It was centered in Newark, New Jersey and felt in two New York City
boroughs and Long Island.
"This was very minor," said geophysicist Don Blakeman, of the U.S.
Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center. "It may have
been felt in some other areas but because it is so small, we would not
expect any damage."
New York state generally is not considered a place for earthquakes, but at
least three small quakes were recorded last year in the region of the state
capital, Albany.
A study published last year by University of Buffalo geologists said the
state is crisscrossed by hundreds of faults that have the potential to
become active.
Blakeman said earthquakes in New York City were "infrequent but they do
happen occasionally." He said the previous quake recorded in the same
general area as Wednesday's was in 1992 with a 3.1 magnitude.
New York City officials said 11 emergency calls were made after the
quake, one from Manhattan and 10 from the borough of Queens. No
injuries or damage was reported. The quake was also felt in the borough
of Staten Island. |
