Small earthquake shakes the New York area. USGS says magnitude was 3.0

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — A small earthquake rattled the New York metropolitan area Saturday night.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor had a magnitude of 3.0.

It hit in the New Jersey suburb of Hasbrouck Heights, less than 8 miles (13 kilometers) west of Central Park, at a depth of about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

One resident of New York’s Brooklyn borough described it as a very brief tremor, just a slight swaying for a moment.

Nevertheless, social media quickly lit up with people who felt it. The official account of the Empire State Building reported in on the social platform X to say: “I AM FINE.”

The tremor was much milder than a 4.8-magnitude quake in 2024 that struck in Tewksbury, New Jersey, a little farther west of the city.

A 3.0 earthquake is typically not strong enough to cause any damage, but tremors that mild are somewhat rare in the Northeast.

New York City Emergency Management said there were no immediate reports of major impacts.