Minor 2.9 earthquake rattles parts of northern New Jersey: USGS
The USGS said the earthquake struck Gladstone, New Jersey – the same town that experienced an aftershock following a 4.8 magnitude earthquake in April.
GLADSTONE, N.J. - A minor earthquake rattled parts of northern New Jersey on Friday morning in the same area that's become something of a hot bed for tectonic activity.
The USGS said the earthquake struck Gladstone, New Jersey – the same town that experienced an aftershock following a 4.8 magnitude earthquake in April.
The minor earthquake was felt around 4 a.m. throughout northern New Jersey counties, including Somerset, Morris and Hunterdon. Earlier this month, the USGS reported a 2.6 magnitude earthquake in Gladstone.
The northern counties of New Jersey have recently become somewhat of a hot bed for minor earthquakes and aftershocks. The 4.8 magnitude earthquake on Apr. 5 was felt in places from New York City to Philadelphia, and registered at least 50 aftershocks.
Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than western edges of the U.S. because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates. But 13 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or stronger have been recorded since 1950 within 500 km (311 miles) of Friday's tremblor, the USGS said. The strongest was a 5.8-magnitude quake in Mineral, Virginia, on Aug. 23, 2011, that jolted people from Georgia to Canada.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.