Yesterday, New Jersey experienced an unexpected geological phenomenon – a 4.7 magnitude earthquake. This nearly broke the record of the 1783 earthquake in Rockaway Township, with a 5.3 magnitude.
The April 5, 2024 earthquake was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Tewksbury was the most significant to impact North Jersey since 1884, when an Aug. 10 earthquake somewhere near Jamaica Bay toppled chimneys and moved houses off their foundations as far as Rahway.
Other than that quake, there were only three earthquakes in modern history that caused damage in the state: 1737 (New York City), 1783 (west of New York City) and 1927 (New Jersey coast near Asbury Park), according to New Jersey Office of Emergency Management records. However, as with Friday’s quake, objects falling from shelves and building damage such as chimney collapse were thought to be the extent of the impact. New Jersey has yet to record a fatality due to an earthquake, according to state records.