The New York area experienced a rare seismic event as it was struck by a magnitude-4.8 earthquake.

The New York City region was rattled by a magnitude-4.8 earthquake, causing buildings to shake and surprising residents in an area that seldom experiences significant seismic events.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 10:23 am, approximately 72 kilometers west of New York City and 80 kilometers north of Philadelphia, at a depth of 4.7 kilometers. Later, at 6:59 pm, a minor yet perceptible aftershock measuring magnitude 4.0 occurred, as reported by the agency.

The epicenter of the earthquake on Friday morning (local time) was located near Lebanon, New Jersey, as per the USGS.

The tremor was felt across the region, including in New York City, New Jersey, northern Pennsylvania, and western Connecticut, as confirmed by Reuters journalists and social media reports.

USGS data suggested that the quake may have been experienced by over 42 million people.