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Understanding earthquakes + forecast
FOX 5 NY's Audrey Puente talks to a seismologist about earthquakes in New York City.
NEW JERSEY - Parts of NJ were rattled by a 2.2 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Was there an earthquake in NJ today
The USGS says the earthquake happened around 1:44 a.m., and was centered around 3.1 miles east of Califon in Hunterdon County.
Earthquake NYC in April
Back on April 5, a 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook NYC and the Tri-State area.
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Expert explains earthquake felt in NYC
Steve Holler, an associate professor at physics and engineering at Fordham University, explains what New Yorkers should know about a 4.8M to earthquake.
The USGS reported a quake at 10:23 a.m. with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 centered near Whitehouse Station in Hunterdon County. About an hour later, a 2.0-magnitude quake was reported in nearby Bedminster.
Then, just before 6 p.m., a magnitude 4.0 aftershock hit the region, with the epicenter near Gladstone. Dozens of aftershocks have been reported since the earthquake.
Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than on the western edges of the U.S. because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates.
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Understanding the science of earthquakes
Today's earthquake is prompting a lot of questions about the mechanics of a tremblor. FOX 5 NY's Sharon Crowley spoke to a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey to get some answers.
But 13 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or stronger have been recorded since 1950 within 311 miles of the tremblor, the USGS said. The strongest was a 5.8-magnitude quake in Mineral, Virginia, on Aug. 23, 2011, that jolted people from Georgia to Canada.
Aftershock NJ: What is it?
Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the hours, days and years following a larger quake, or the "mainshock," according to the USGS.
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How vulnerable is NYC to earthquakes?
Friday's 4.8 magnitude earthquake took many by surprise. And while quakes are rare on the East Coast, questions are being raised on just how vulnerable the Big Apple is to a larger quake hitting the area.
Aftershocks usually mean that the ground is readjusting itself following the main earthquake.
USGS earthquake map
Click HERE for more information.
The Associated Press, as well as the FOX Digital Team, contributed to this report.