Statue Of Liberty Webcam Shows Exact Moment 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hit NYC
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on April 5, 2024 at 2:45 PM EDT
Video footage has surfaced from the Statue Of Liberty's sky cam, which shows the exact moment the earthquake hit New York City.
As you know, a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Tri-State area early morning on April 5, leaving thousands scared and confused. No injuries or damage has been recorded at this time, but considering earthquakes are extremely rare in this area of the United States, several were unsure of what to do.
Earthquake Shakes New York City Early April 5
Around 11 a.m. ET, emergency phone alerts came through advising, "A 4.7-magnitude earthquake has occurred in the NYC area. Residents are advised to remain indoors and to call 911 if injured." It was later reported to be a 4.8-magnitude.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the earthquake was felt from Boston down to Baltimore, but was centered near Lebanon, New Jersey.
Melanie Vanderveer, a journalist with The Blast, spoke out about the moment she felt the earthquake. "I was on a call and my cat was behind me on the couch. He suddenly got up and ran full speed into the other room before he even felt anything," she explained of her Friday morning experience. "Then I felt the house shaking and screamed for my son to make sure he was good."
Adding, "I’ve lived in the Poconos for 19 years and don’t recall ever feeling an earthquake before today."
While many have shared what their experiences with the earthquake on Friday were like, one video is going viral on social media as it shows a bird's eye view of the earthquake hitting the New York City skyline.
Watch The Webcam Footage
Watching the #earthquake from the Statue of Liberty webcam via @earthcam #NYC pic.twitter.com/6JTqWqT3TF
— Dan Martland (@DanTVusa) April 5, 2024
In the video, you can see the entire camera shake as boats pass by the skyline. The clip lasts approximately 16 seconds, but some say they felt the shakes last closer to half a minute.
Cindy Coffey, a resident of New Jersey, previously told The Blast that she was enjoying her breakfast when all of a sudden "the house started to rattle like a large truck was passing."
"It just got more intense very quickly, so I [then knew] it wasn’t a passing truck or plane." She went on to tell us that the "glasses and the windows were rattling and the entire house shook." It was "a very scary 30 seconds."
Various accounts have shared the video from the Statue of Liberty and it has gained a lot of attention on social media. "I would NOT have been happy to be in the Statue of Liberty when the earthquake hit...," one user pointed out.
"How my house felt…," another said.
Is The World Ending?
While many are focused on the earthquake, others couldn't help but point out that the Statue of Liberty was struck by lightning recently and the eclipse is just a few days away. Adding in Friday's earthquake, people are convinced the world is ending.
"So far lightning struck the Statue of Liberty, a small earthquake occurred today, and we are expecting an eclipse on Monday. Great time to be in NY…," one X user wrote.
"Lightning striking the Statue of Liberty the day before an earthquake in New York that precedes a total solar eclipse is some ghostbusters-level sh-t," another said.
So Far, No Injuries Reported
Earlier today, the Fire Department of New York shared in an X post that there were “no major incidents at this time" but they were “responding to calls and evaluating structural stability.”
“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul shared in a statement early on Friday, April 5. "My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also spoke out to inform residents that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center. "Please do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency," he advised.
Murphy later added that there is only "limited damage" across the Garden State.
Could We See More Earthquakes In The Coming Days?
Weston Observatory's Dr. John Ebel warned of the possibility of aftershocks, adding that there might be stronger earthquakes in the next couple of days.
"Could this have been a foreshock? Not impossible. In 1988, there was an earthquake almost exactly this size in Quebec Province, followed two and a half days later by a 5.9," Ebel said. "Now, is that probable? I would say not, probably no more than about a 5% chance of a larger earthquake, following, say, within a few days or a week or so."