By Cesar A.
West Haverstraw, NY — Residents of Rockland County and much of the New York metropolitan area experienced an unusual jolt Saturday night when a magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck near Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, just before 10:30 p.m.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake’s epicenter was located less than eight miles west of Central Park at a depth of approximately 6.2 miles. While the tremor was brief — some described it as a momentary sway — it was felt across a wide swath of the region, with reports from residents in Rockland indicating that some kitchen teacups were visibly shaken.
Social media quickly lit up with reactions, including a post from the official account of the Empire State Building on X (formerly Twitter): “I AM FINE.”
There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage in Rockland County or elsewhere in the Tri-State Area. Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann wrote on his Facebook feed: “An earthquake along the Ramapo fault occurred at 10:14PM. According to the United States Geological service it registered at 3.0 and was felt throughout the tri-state area. According to the Clarkstown Police Department there were numerous calls from residents who felt the shaking but no reported damage. We will update as warranted.”
According to USGS analyst Xan Davidson, a quake of this size is “not really considered significant” and is unlikely to cause damage. “You’re sitting quiet at home… you could see the light fixture swing or something like that,” Davidson explained.
Passersby of Samsondale Plaza briefly mistook the dilapidated shopping center complex that once housed CH Martin, Baxter’s Pharmacy and Animart to have been hit by the earthquake as the lights of many stores had gone dark. However, after further review – it turned out that it was just a long-term result of property owners raising the rent of the tenants.
Earthquakes are relatively rare in the Northeast, though not unprecedented. Saturday’s event follows a stronger magnitude 4.8 quake in April 2024 that struck Tewksbury, New Jersey, and was followed by at least 10 aftershocks. While USGS notes that aftershocks can occur hours or even days after the initial quake, Davidson emphasized there is no cause for alarm in this instance.
New York City Emergency Management also confirmed there were no major impacts from the tremor. Still, for many residents of Rockland County, the brief shake was an unusual reminder that the ground beneath the Hudson Valley can, on occasion, move.