Earthquake felt in New York City
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WATCH: Meet the kids who felt the tremors of the New York earthquake:
An earthquake shook buildings on the northeast coast of the United States on Friday.
The quake which had a magnitude of 4.8 - a measure of how powerful a tremor is - was felt in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York City at about 10:23am local time.
Nobody has been reported to be injured following the quake and the fire service in New York said there were no initial reports of damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes in the country, say it originated in the town of Lebanon in New Jersey, about 40 miles (64km) west of New York City and could have been felt by up to 42 million people!
It added that over the course of the past 300 years, there have only been three earthquakes with magnitudes near or above 5 striking near New York City.
The governor of New York State Kathy Hochul posted on X (formerly twitter) that her team was assessing any possible damage.
"My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day," she said.
Flights from airports in the New York City area were also temporarily grounded
How do earthquakes happen?
2.5 or less: Millions each year. Usually not felt, but some can be recorded by scientists.
2.5 to 5.4: 500,000 per year, Often felt, but only causes minor damage.
5.5 to 6.0: 1000 per year. Can cause slight damage to buildings and other structures.
6.1 to 6.9: 100 per year. May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.
7.0 to 7.9: 10-15. Major earthquake. Serious damage.
8.0 or greater: Once every year or two. This is a very large earthquake which can totally destroy large areas.
Source: USGHS/Modified Mercalli Intensity
Although the ground we walk on seems solid, the Earth is actually made up of huge pieces of flat rock called tectonic plates. These move very slowly, and where they meet is called a fault.
When the plates rub together, the movement forces waves of energy to come to the earth's surface. This causes tremors and shakes - and this is what causes earthquakes.
Earthquakes are relatively rare on the east coast of the United States because the area doesn't sit on or near to any major fault lines, where quakes are more common.
Do earthquakes happen in the UK?
Earthquakes: what are they and what causes them? (2018)
There are 200-300 quakes in Britain every year and data suggests that earthquakes of about magnitude 3.5 are likely to occur in the UK around once every year.
The largest recorded earthquake experienced in the UK occurred in 1931 and measured 6.1. The epicentre was Dogger Bank in the North Sea, and so the quake had little impact on the mainland.
In 2023, people living in Cornwall felt an earthquake with a 2.7 magnitude, and in 2022 a quake was recorded in Shropshire with a 3.8 magnitude.