A 4.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the New York City Metropolitan Area as shocked residents expressed their confusion at the rare event.
Centered around Lebanon and Tewksbury, New Jersey , tremors from the earthquake could be felt all the way up in Boston. Philadelphia, Connecticut , New Jersey and Massachusetts residents also reported feeling the seismic event, which is a rarity on the East Coast. Around 42 million people may have felt the quake, the U.S. Geological Survey reported .
The last major seismic event to hit the NYC Metropolitan Area was in 2011, when a 5.8-magnitude tremor rattled buildings across the Northeast, everywhere from Washington, D.C., to Boston. That one was the strongest on the East Coast since one that struck during World War II.
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In New York City, the tremors felt like a gently rocking boat making its way across a placid lake or like a gentle carnival ride such as the swings or a Ferris wheel, but those located closer to the epicenter reported feeling much stronger shockwaves.