Rhode Island residents feel New Jersey earthquake

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — An earthquake in New Jersey was felt all across the Northeast around 10:30am Friday meeting, including in Rhode Island.

Coming in at 4.8 magnitude, it was one of the strongest seen in that area in more than 200 years.

The last time an earthquake of this magnitude hit New Jersey was the 1700’s, and while events like this happen it’s definitely rare to feel it all the way in Providence.

That light range is usually something you could feel but wouldn’t cause any severe damage to buildings or structures, which lines up with current reports.

“It’s not nothing, but it’s not terribly tiny,” University of Rhode Island Geosciences Prof. Brian Savage said. “It doesn’t happen very often but it’s of course not surprising. We’ve had, especially here in Rhode Island, I’ve definitely felt my fair share of earthquakes. Being here I’ve felt a handful of them, and of course every time one of these small earthquakes occurs, I get called.”

Experts recommend taking shelter, and covering your head and neck, and staying on the ground if caught in an earthquake.

“You know earthquakes can sort of happen unexpectedly, as we learned today,” Red Cross of Rhode Island’s Jaime Lynch said. “My biggest recommendation that I always tell people if you know prepare for the next event. So I like to identify things that could fall during shaking. I always try to imagine if I’m in my room, I pick it up, shake it up and down, side to side, what can fall and injure me.”

The earthquake happened on the Ramapo fault system, which are the lines beneath the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island isn’t located on any major fault lines, but Savage said earthquakes can happen there from time to time.

Another earthquake, this one a 4.0 magnitude one originating from Gladstone, New Jersey, occurred around 6 p.m.