New Jersey, NY see 3.0 earthquake, officials say no damage reported

Officials said there was an earthquake around 10:17 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, near Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, which some New York residents may also have felt. The quake was relatively weak, ranking at a 3.0 on the Richter scale, according to the United States Geological Survey.

This earthquake happened because of faulting at shallow depths in the crust, the survey said.

“While this earthquake is relatively small globally, earthquakes of this magnitude are commonly widely felt in the eastern United States because of efficient seismic wave propagation in the region,” it added.

NYC Emergency Management wrote that no damage was reported to them or energy company Con Edison, the New York Police Department or fire department.

“There are no known issues reported to NYCEM affecting utility services, transportation systems, traffic flow, or structural stability across the city,” the agency wrote. “Operations continue as normal. While later reports or developments could change the picture, the event appears to have had minimal impact.”

Still, NYC Emergency Management suggested people still be ready in case of aftershocks.

The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey also said there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries

Bradford Billingsley told the New York Times he was watching television with his friends in New York City when the coffee table rattled.

“We both felt a sudden jolt and looked at each other and said, ‘was that an earthquake?’” he said.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the last significant earthquake in the area was from April 2024. It was a 4.8 magnitude event, which could be felt from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Boston, Massachusetts, the Times wrote.