At 10:23 a.m. on April 5, 2024 the earth moved in NYC, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania for about 15 seconds. An earthquake registered 4.8 magnitude at its epicenter or 5.5 there on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI).
The MMI measures the effects of an earthquake at a given location, and is used by the United States Geological Survey and others because it more clearly communicates the experience at any specific location within the earthquake’s affected area, as further away from the epicenter the ordeal has a lesser impact.
5 MMI is considered moderate and is felt by most, dishes can be broken, things can be overturned. 6 MMI is considered strong and is felt by everyone, it can move heavy furniture, a few instances of fallen plaster, damage will be slight. Between those two levels is what it was like at the epicenter. 3 MMI feels like a heavy truck passing by and 4 MMI feelis like a heavy body hitting a building — windows rattle and walls creak. Between those two levels is what it was like in Brooklyn. As my office is on Maspeth this earthquake was similar and slightly more severe than the sensation I get when large trucks take the road bumps fast on this street.
Phone alerts sounded about a half hour after the shaking had stopped. These cautioned people to stay in place. CDC guidelines for earthquakes are “Drop, Cover, Hold On”. As you should sit on the ground, find a desk or table to sit under (if these are not around then to sit near an interior wall where there is little or nothing that can fall on you and you should cover your head), and then hold on to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. They also warn against standing in a doorway if you are in a modern house because these are no stronger than any other part of the house.
Another alert followed warning about aftershocks. Aftershocks are unpredictable, but these tend to follow most large earthquakes. New Jersey has had four aftershocks from 11:20 a.m.–1:32 p.m. ranging from 1.8–2.2 in magnitude according to the United States Geological Survey.
The last time NYC felt an earthquake was in August 23, 2011. That earthquake’s epicenter was in Mineral, Virginia and registered 5.8 in magnitude. NYC felt a 4 MMI.
If you are looking for some music to sooth rattled nerves, here are some options for an earthquake playlist: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On“, by Jerry Lee Lewis; “I Feel the Earth Move“, by Carol King; and “It’s Got the Whole World Shakin‘”, by Sam Cooke
The Greenline 