No, that wasn’t a low-flying helicopter – you just felt an earthquake shake Long Island.
A spokesperson for the National Weather Service (NWS) told the Press nothing is officially confirmed yet on their end, but that NWS employees felt the earthquake from their Upton office.
However, the United States Geological Service confirmed on its website that a magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred about a mile from Tewksbury, New Jersey at 10:23 a.m. – and was felt all over the Northeast. Sources as far as Philadelphia tell the Press they felt the earth shaking.
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed this report on Twitter.
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York,” Hochul wrote. “My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”
Both Nassau and Suffolk Counties reported no major damage or injuries.
“The Office of Emergency Management continues to monitor the situation and my office is in communication with our region’s local governments, hospitals and emergency management agencies,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman added that the only damage he heard of on the island was a fallen tree in Suffolk County.
“The feeling among the professionals is that everything’s under control, everything’s safe,” Blakeman said. “Everything is secure at this time.”
Several aftershocks were reported following the initial earthquake, most recently with a 4.0 aftershock hitting Long Island at 5:59 p.m.
The last time Long Island experienced an earthquake was 2011, when a 5.8 magnitude jolt in Virginia radiated through Nassau and Suffolk counties.
This is a breaking news story. Keep checking this page for updates.
