The US East Coast is spared widespread damage by an earthquake

A massive East Coast earthquake caused widespread panic and shockwaves across New York and Philadelphia, causing widespread damage to rural areas in New England.

An unusual East Coast earthquake rattled millions of people on Friday, sending shockwaves through skyscrapers in New York and Philadelphia to rural areas of New England. No extensive damage was reported, but the area was startled. The midmorning earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 and was centered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey — roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of New York City and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Philadelphia — may have been felt by approximately 42 million people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In order to assess the damage, authorities in Newark, New Jersey, evacuated three multifamily homes, displacing close to thirty residents. Amtrak halted trains throughout the congested Northeast Corridor; officials in the area were assessing bridges and other significant infrastructure; several flights were canceled or delayed; and a commuter rail line in the Philadelphia area suspended operations as a precaution.

As Christiann Thompson volunteered at a library, she reported that pictures and ornamental dishes fell off the wall in her home near Whitehouse Station, confirming what her husband had informed her over the phone. A historic Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill, a 264-year-old landmark, crashed into a roadway near Readington Township, causing no injuries, according to Whitehouse Station Fire Chief Tim Apgar and Readington Township Mayor Adam Mueller.