A rare but shallow earthquake struck Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, on August 2nd, shaking parts of the New York metropolitan area and startling residents with a sudden boom. The magnitude 3.0 tremor hit at 10:18 p.m. at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Though small by global standards, the quake was widely felt due to the efficient way seismic waves travel through the crust in the eastern United States. Residents in Manhattan, The Bronx, Staten Island, and nearby New Jersey towns like Nutley and Pisco reported brief swaying, with some comparing the initial noise to a car crash or an explosion.
USGS noted the quake occurred as a result of shallow faulting in the Earth’s crust. Though not near a tectonic plate boundary, such “intraplate” quakes are not unusual in the region. Since 1950, over 40 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or greater have occurred within 250 kilometers of the epicenter. The most recent larger quake—an M4.8—struck near Tewksbury in April 2024 and was also widely felt across the Northeast.
Saturday’s quake is not considered an aftershock of the Tewksbury event but occurred in a region with known faults that can be reactivated at any time. Despite the jolt, no injuries or damage were reported. Social media reactions poured in quickly, with even the Empire State Building chiming in humorously: “I AM FINE.”
For now, emergency management officials continue to monitor the situation, though the event appears to have passed without serious consequence—just a startling reminder that the ground beneath even the quietest suburbs isn’t always still.
