35
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4.8 earthquake in central New Jersey; felt in Philadelphia, New York
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- Scope: personal anecdote
- Tone: neutral
- Opinion: yes?
- Sarcasm/humor: none
I assume everyone in the New York/New Jersey/eastern PA/maybe northern Delaware area just felt their buildings shaking.
That was a 4.8 magnitude earthquake originating near Lebanon, NJ (a ways west of Edison). You can look at the details from the US government's earthquake tracking website.
I've never felt an earthquake before, so that was something. I thought the people above me had turned on a motorcycle or something. I had no clue what could shake the building like that. Then it dawned on me. Not the place you expect these things. (I'm sure the Californians find this cute!)
Second one I experienced in NY! Felt a rumble, and took me about 5 sec to realize it was an earthquake. Felt like a 18 wheelers went down the street, but I knew it couldn't be since I live in the middle.of the wood. At least, I know my house is built solid.
I guess it's just earthquake week for me this week 😠my dad just went home to Taiwan for a (previously planned) trip as well.
I was in the gym so I didn't feel anything, but at least I have a built in excuse because I didn't hit my deadlift numbers today. Didn't even know until my sister called me! All okay on our end though, went home early to check on the pup :)
Dad and family doing okay? Taiwan's 921 is still on my mind, as a HKer.
Yup! thanks for asking :) My family is far enough away that they weren't affected too bad, thankfully. My dad just flew in yesterday actually and nothing major to report.
Yay~~~~
I was on a call with a coworker from NYC when she stopped mid meeting in a bit of confusion saying "uhh, I think there is an earthquake happening!"
I've never experienced one. Technically I've been in one, but I was riding a school bus at the time and obviously that in the middle of NC, far from any fault lines, it didn't shake anywhere near hard enough to feel through that.
Philadelphia here. I absolutely felt it, my monitors wobbled, and I thought for a second it was an exceptionally large vehicle, but the street outside was empty. I realized it wasn't just me when I saw multiple neighbors come outside, equally curious.
As a Californian, we're all trained for earthquakes. idk if you've ever been trained for it on the East Coast, but for next time (especially if there's going to be an aftershock) - get under something solid (a big table or a desk) and over the back of your head if you can, or in a doorway. If you're outside, get into the middle of the street if you can, far away from any buildings or electric lines.
Good luck!
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They tell us what to do as children, but because earthquakes don't happen here, no one remembers. Or at least I didn't! Ha ha.
"Earthquake" was not my first thought when the building started shaking. At first, I thought it was construction. There are often large trucks here, and vibrations from digging up asphalt or something are regular occurrences. But I felt the ceiling shaking too, so I thought that the upstairs neighbors had, like, a modded ultra--powerful washing machine going absolutely ballistic. But it wasn't rhythmic enough for that to make sense, and then it stopped. At that point, I thought it might have been an earthquake, but I wasn't sure. But once other folks outside my building confirmed, I knew.
Now I know for the next disaster. I'll do what I can. Can't really get away from structures where I live. I'll get under the dining room table, but if it's my time, it's my time. :/
Your comment made me realize I probably won't recognize an earthquake if it happens when I'm at home. There's a quarry near our house that does a lot of blasting, so I'm used to our house shaking about once a week or so. I'm talking hard enough to rattle our furniture. I know I slept through one earthquake years and years ago.
I guess it's good we don't get many earthquakes here since my reaction time would probably be a bit slow.
Glad you are OK. I am considering taking a job offer out there and was just telling some friends about it maybe 30 minutes ago when I saw this post - a bit ominous!
It doesn't really dissuade me but I thought it was a funny coincidence.
We had a 4.5 yesterday in northern California as well, but in a much less populated area. We felt our couch moving but not much else, about 25 miles from the epicenter. The US is big enough that the two earthquakes are probably unrelated (but I'm no seismologist), but it is an interesting coincidence.
I thought it was the the wind finally knocking over my building.