4.8 Earthquake Hits New Jersey, NYC and Long Island

By Brahm Lally

Last Friday, an earthquake - of 4.8 on the Richter Scale - hit New Jersey, NYC and Long Island.

The earthquake caused minimal damage, but office buildings and homes shook violently, and the earthquake was accompanied by a deep rumble. The initial earthquake lasted only about 60 seconds, building from a low vibration to a deep shaking.

Some windows were cracked, and homeowners reported that vases and plates were knocked over.

One Northport couple, Sherry and Bob from Northport, came into Munday's Cafe in Huntington an hour after the earthquake.

"I lost a $600 18-inch glass plate !" exclaimed Sherry, disappointed at the loss of a treasured heirloom.

By contrast, many people who were riding in cars didn't even feel the earthquake, as the movement of the car and the inflatable tires masked the shaking of the quake.

At 6PM there was an aftershock, which was much less powerful - a 4.0 on the Richter Scale - but still sent noticeable vibrations through structures and caused windows to rattle.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, about 45 miles west of Long Island.  The earthquake was the strongest earthquake to hit the NYC area since a 5.0 earthquake hit NYC in 1864.