New Jersey was hit by a 2.9 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning, marking the second seismic event in the state within a month. The earthquake occurred around 9:49 a.m., with the epicenter located near Gladstone, approximately 45 miles west of New York City.
The U.S. Geological Survey has reported that this quake is one of many aftershocks following a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on April 5. The aftershocks have been felt in the area surrounding the Ramapo Fault, a 185-mile-long fault line that stretches from New York to Pennsylvania and crosses New Jersey.
'Earthquakes in this region are infrequent, but not unexpected,' said Jessica Thompson Jobe, a researcher in the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Hazards Program, to USA Today. 'This is an area of older, generally inactive faults, but they can become reactivated at any time.'
There have been no reports of injuries or damage from the recent earthquake. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management has not reported any significant damage. The USGS has deployed 'aftershock kits' across New Jersey to monitor seismic activity since the initial earthquake in early April.
The recent seismic activity has left some residents and experts wondering about the potential for future earthquakes in the region. 'I think we’re all just in shock that this is still going on. I figured we would never feel anything like this again for another hundred years and here we are about a month later still feeling strong aftershocks, it just makes us wonder what is going on?' said Ashley Papa, a Fox News Digital editor living in New Jersey.