On a seemingly ordinary day, the bustling city of New York experienced an unexpected event that sent shockwaves through its residents. A minor earthquake measuring 1.7 on the Richter scale struck the heart of the Big Apple, reminding us of nature's unpredictability and our vulnerability to its forces. This essay delves into the significance of this event and its implications for a city known more for its towering skyscrapers than seismic activity.
A magnitude 1.7 earthquake shook the borough of Queens, centered in the neighborhood of Astoria, at about 5:45 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was measured at a depth of 5 km, the USGS said.
There were no reports of injuries or serious damage, but it did reportedly cause some issues on Roosevelt Island, which is located in the East River between Manhattan and Queens.
No injuries have been reported. First responders were checking the structural integrity of buildings on the island, but none seemed to be affected.
Con Edison is continuing to investigate the incident.
While earthquakes are rare in this region, they do happen. One of the last to be reported was in May of 2023 when a 2.2 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Westchester County and New Jersey.
"An earthquake is an earthquake, no matter [where] it happens," Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist, told FOX 5 NY. "The fact that earthquakes cannot be predicted is a large part of what makes them so frightening. We are much more afraid of something when we don't know when it's coming."
The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation says the city's earthquake hazard is moderate. However, it is unclear if one of the fault lines could be a source of a strong earthquake. And the potential damage concerns many experts.
"I think you should be more concerned about your older mid-rise buildings, the 5- to 10-story level," Jones said. "Those probably haven't been engineered for winds, and therefore will be more susceptible to what happens in an earthquake."
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