New York earthquake: what’s the biggest earthquake to hit NYC?

Some residents on the East coast received a rude awakening on Friday morning when New York City was struck by an earthquake shortly after 10am.

Initial reports suggest that the earthquake lasted for around 20 seconds. No major damage is thought to have occurred, although the investigation is still in the very earliest stages.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed: “A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York. My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”

Mayor Adams along with other officials gave a speech just after noon about the earthquake. He said New York residents should go about their normal day.

The earthquake epicentre is though to be just West of Manhattan but residents in New Jersey also report feeling the effects. The Big Apple is rarely affected by seismic activity but there have been some notable earthquakes in the past.

What is the biggest New York earthquake?

Friday’s earthquake will have caused alarm for many residents. The strength of the quake has not yet been confirmed but it is expected to rank among the strongest to hit the city.

That distinction is currently held by the Cornwall-Massena earthquake in 1944. The earthquake registered 5.8 on the Richter scale and was felt from New York City and Boston to Quebec and Toronto.

The area most-affected by the seismic activity was the village of Massena, New York. Contemporary reports suggest that roughly 90% of the chimneys in the area were damaged and vast cracks appeared in the ground in nearby Hogansburg.

The earthquake caused property damage of around $2 million, the equivalent of $35 million when adjusted for inflation. Investigators after the earthquake found that headstones in local cemeteries had rotated in the ground as a result of the shake. There were no reported incidents of casualties at the time.