Unlikely US state hit by three earthquakes in as many days
Three earthquakes occurred in New Jersey within three days, raising concerns about the cause of the series of quakes.
The tremors, measuring 1.0 to 1.4 on the Richter scale, are believed to be aftershocks of a larger earthquake that struck on August 16 at approximately 10:23 a.m. EST.
All three quakes struck in the northern New Jersey city of California, where last week’s magnitude 4.8 quake struck.
It was the most powerful hurricane to hit the East Coast since 2011 and was considered the most powerful epicenter in the area since 1884.
New Jersey has experienced three small earthquakes this week, ranging from one on the Richter scale to 1.4
The first quake struck Gladstone, New Jersey at 5:17 p.m. EST on Monday, just 4 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of where last week’s magnitude 4.8 quake struck.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake measured 1.4 on the Richter scale. A minute later, a magnitude 1 earthquake was detected in the same city.
California was also hit by a magnitude one earthquake at 4:40 a.m. Wednesday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), people typically only feel earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. However, this also depends on the depth and location of the quake.
At their deepest, earthquakes can occur as much as 640 kilometers underground.
Earthquakes that reach a distance of 69 kilometers or less are considered shallow and cause only minor to moderate damage.
The California earthquake originated at a depth of only 6.9 kilometers below the Earth’s surface, while the Gladstone earthquakes originated eight and less than a kilometer below ground, respectively.
There have reportedly been no direct damage or injuries reported as a result of the earthquakes.
On August 16, New Jersey was hit by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake, which caused a series of aftershocks within three days
After the massive earthquake hit New Jersey, the USGS predicted more aftershocks within a week. There was a 50 percent chance of a magnitude 3 or higher earthquake.
Depending on the size of the original earthquake, aftershocks can last for years and usually occur near the epicenter of the main shock.
The recent series of earthquakes in New Jersey follows reports of seven quakes measuring 1.2 or greater that struck the region in May and early June.
Despite the recent increase in earthquakes on the East Coast, the USGS has made it clear that it is still rare for earthquakes with a magnitude above 4.5 to strike the area.
Since 1950, the East Coast has seen only 20 magnitude 4.5 earthquakes, while the West Coast has experienced more than 1,000 major earthquakes in the same period.