Parts of New York State Report Shaking as Earthquake Occurs

Some residents in New York State were startled Thursday morning, as reports came in that there had been an earthquake. Most earthquakes that occur in New York State are not that powerful, but they do happen occasionally. Sometimes they can even strike in New York City.

On January 2, PIX11 reported that a small magnitude 1.7 earthquake struck Astoria, Queens marking the first time a quake occurred in any of the five boroughs since June 2019.

See Also: What's the Most Powerful Earthquake to Ever Strike New York State?

According to the NESEC, around 551 earthquakes were recorded in New York state from 1737 to 2016.

Parts of Northern New York Experience Tremors 

NBC says that parts of northern New York felt shaking Thursday morning, as an earthquake was reported near Huntingdon, Quebec. The United States Geological Survey says the quake was a 3.2 magnitude on the Richter Scale and struck at a depth of around four and a half miles.

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Areas near Chateaugay, Malone, Ellenburg, and other parts near Route 11 and the St. Lawrence Valley reported the ground moving, according to NBC.

The shaking occurred not too far from the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, which can produce larger earthquakes that can be felt up and down the East Coast, especially in New York state.

Other Recent Earthquake Activity in New York State 

In mid-December, NBC had reported that a 2.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Canton, NY.

Could Something As Strong As a Magnitude 7.0 Ever Occur in NY?

Some say this fault system is much more complex and extensive than originally thought.

A 2008 study proposed that there may be an additional fault zone extending from the Ramapo Fault into southwestern Connecticut. There are also many smaller faults that criss-cross across New York City, and the city could be long overdue for a significant earthquake. 

There is also the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, which can produce larger quakes that can be felt up and down the eastern coast of the United States, particularly for their neighbors directly south in the Empire State. This is where the strongest quakes happen near us.