SREEDHAR VISWANATHA and AKSHITA THAKUR, Staff Writers
On Friday, April 5th, New Jersey was hit with a relatively light earthquake. While earthquakes are very uncommon in New Jersey, it is possible to occur. The earthquake hit at 10:23 am around the New York metropolitan area from Philadelphia to Boston. The light tremor lasted for a brief 20 seconds. Residents reported violent trembling of their homes as well as architectural damage.
Following the initial earthquake, multiple aftershocks were reported, the first occurring in Bedminster at 11:20 a.m. with a magnitude of 2.0. Other reported aftershocks included a magnitude 2.2 near Whitehouse Station, a magnitude 2.0 near Califon, a magnitude 1.8 near Chester, and a magnitude 2.0 near Chester. The reason for the earthquake was likely an ancient, sleeping seam in the Earth, awakened by geologic forces in a region where earthquakes are rare and seismic risks are not fully understood.
Thankfully there were no reports of any injuries or damages to any properties, however, many citizens reported feeling uneasy about the earthquake, especially since the solar eclipse would be occurring only a few days later. This earthquake, however, made history as it was the closest to the largest earthquake in New Jersey which was in 1783, when a 5.3 magnitude quake originated in modern-day Rockaway Township and was felt from Pennsylvania to New England. Overall, it was quite a surprise for what was predicted to be a mundane day.