Did You Feel It? Small Earthquake Shakes Hunterdon County, Adding to NJ’s Recent Tremor Surge!
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
California NJ, a small but noticeable earthquake rattled the quiet town of Califon, New Jersey, on Monday afternoon, adding to a recent, surprising surge of seismic activity across Central and North Jersey.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the tremor, reporting a 1.6 magnitude earthquake struck at approximately 2:46 p.m. local time. The epicenter was pinpointed about 2 kilometers east-northeast of Califon in Hunterdon County, NJ, and occurred approximately 5 kilometers below the surface.
What Does a 1.6 Magnitude Earthquake Mean?
For many residents, the experience was a momentary jolt. The USGS classified this as a Level III earthquake on the Modified Mercalli Intensity value, meaning it involved “light shaking.”
The USGS description of this level of shaking notes: “Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings. Many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibrations similar to the passing of a truck.”
By 4:45 p.m., at least six people had officially reported feeling the shaking to the USGS.
Why is New Jersey Shaking? A Look at Recent NJ Earthquake Activity
While the East Coast doesn’t sit on a major tectonic plate boundary like the West Coast, New Jersey has seen a surprising number of small earthquakes recently, leading to questions about the state’s seismic stability.
The Califon tremor is the latest in a series of events across the region:
- August 12: A $1.2$ magnitude earthquake was recorded near Lebanon, NJ, in Hunterdon County.
- August 5: A $2.7$ magnitude earthquake struck southwest of Hillsdale, NJ, in Bergen County.
- August 4: An even smaller $0.4$ magnitude quake was reported near Califon.
- August 2: A $3.0$ magnitude earthquake, one of the stronger recent tremors, was centered at Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, in Bergen County.
Experts note that earthquakes on the East Coast can often be felt over a much wider area compared to the West Coast due to the older, colder, and denser bedrock which transmits seismic waves more efficiently.
Historically, the strongest earthquake recorded near the area was the $5.8$-magnitude temblor in Mineral, Virginia, on August 23, 2011, which was felt from Georgia to Canada.
Did you feel this latest tremor? The USGS relies on public reports to better understand the impact and location of earthquakes. If you felt the shaking, you can contribute to their tracking efforts by reporting it directly on the USGS website.
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