Earthquake felt by 42 million people, USGS estimates. Map shows where it was strongest

by Alix Martichoux - 04/05/24 12:09 PM ET

(NEXSTAR) – When a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit Lebanon, New Jersey, Friday morning, the shockwaves were felt far and wide.

More than 120,000 responses poured into the USGS’s “Did You Feel It?” tool. Many of those were from reports in densely populated New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.

But people more than 200 miles from the epicenter reported feeling the earthquake. It appears to have shaken areas as far south as the D.C. area and as far north as the New York-Canada border. The shaking last several seconds starting at 10:23 a.m.

USGS figures indicate that the quake might have been felt by more than 42 million people.

A USGS map shows 10 kilometer approximations of where the Friday morning earthquake was felt, based on reports to the agency’s “Did You Feel It?” tool. (Map: USGS)

The earthquake felt most intense near its epicenter, which was about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia.

New York City’s emergency notification system said in a social media post more than 30 minutes after the quake that it had no reports of damage or injuries in the city. Mayor Eric Adams had been briefed on the quake, his spokesperson Fabien Levy said, adding, “While we do not have any reports of major impacts at this time, we’re still assessing the impact.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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