Yes, that was an earthquake you felt in NYC
- Consider this a wake-up call to earthquake-proof your apartment
New Yorkers don’t usually think about earthquakes happening here, but they do.
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If you felt your building shaking this morning, you probably thought a passing truck or subway train caused the disturbance. But the shaking went on a little longer than normal, and soon there was confirmation that a 4.8 magnitude earthquake had struck in New Jersey, just west of the city.
The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake’s epicenter was in Lebanon, N.J., about 50 miles west of Manhattan and according to the New York Times, shaking was felt in cities from Philadelphia to Boston.
Smartphone emergency alerts advised residents to remain indoors and call 911, but it was not clear if there were any damage or threats to public safety. Public school administrators, for example, reached out to parents to let them know students were safe.
New Yorkers don’t usually think about earthquakes happening here, but they do. What’s more, because of density and aging infrastructure, there are some risks of damage for older structures built before NYC added earthquake safety provisions to its building code in 1995.
In the immediate aftermath of a quake, there are some precautions you can take.
- Move carefully around your apartment in case anything has come loose and could fall from the walls or high shelves.
- If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 from a location outside the building. Call your gas company too.
- Open cabinets and closets carefully, as you would an airline overhead bin, in case contents have shifted.
You can also take some steps to make your apartment less vulnerable in case of a more serious quake.
- Make sure that bookcases and other top-heavy pieces of furniture are secured to the wall.
- Store heavier items on lower shelves whenever possible.
- Don’t hang heavy paintings or wall art above where you sleep.
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