Navy: Fighter jets' sonic booms cause tremors in Tristate area

FOX 5 NY - Twitter lit up with talk of an earthquake after dozens of New Jersey residents reported feeling tremors on Thursday afternoon. However, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a "sonic boom" at 1:24 p.m. near Hammonton, New Jersey, and not an earthquake. The USGS said that at least nine booms were heard over about 30 minutes.

The U.S. Navy said an F-35 fighter and an F-18 fighter conducting supersonic flight tests along the East Coast caused the sonic booms, the AP reported. The jets were from Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. The Navy said that usually sonic booms from jets in that area are not heard on land.

Reports of tremors came in from New York City and Long Island, too. Residents said their homes shook.

"New York City is aware of unconfirmed reports of an earthquake in the New York City / New Jersey area. The New York City Emergency Management has consulted the US Geological Survey and the Earth Observatory at Columbia University," a statement from Notify NYC said. "Neither has identified any seismic activity at this time."

The AP contributed to this report.