Following the 4.8-magnitude earthquake in the New York metropolitan area with the epicenter located in central New Jersey, New York City Mayor Eric Adams convened a briefing with senior administration officials to address the incident on Friday.
“As you know, this is a developing situation where you’re always concerned about aftershocks after an earthquake. New Yorkers should go about their normal day,” said Adams. “First responders are working to make sure the city is safe, and one thing we do so well in our city is bring together all of the agencies that are involved and our partners and other entities, everything from the MTA to the Department of Buildings.”
Adams advised parents to keep children in school, as they believed it to be the safest place for them to be. “At this point, we do not have any reports of major impacts to our infrastructure or injuries. But of course, we’re still assessing the situation, and we’ll continue to update the public. We’re in touch with the White House, the governor’s office, and local elected officials,” noted Adams. “I encourage New Yorkers to check on their loved ones to make sure that they are fine not only from the infrastructure damage, but this could be a traumatic moment for individuals going through an earthquake,” he added.
The mayor recommended that if an aftershock occurs you must drop to the floor, cover your neck and head, and go underneath a solid piece of furniture next to an interior wall or to move into a doorway.
“We’re ready for the unexpected. This is New York City, and we respond accordingly. We will continue to update New Yorkers as we get more information,” Adams concluded.
Mayor Eric Adams and senior administration officials hold a briefing to discuss the earthquake felt in the greater New York City area this morning. New York City Emergency Management Headquarters, Brooklyn. Friday, April 5, 2024.[ Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.]
The New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol requested that all New Yorkers call 311 to report any damage or issues that may have occurred during the earthquake and to call 911 for any life safety issues.
“The likelihood of aftershocks remain low, but we do remain vigilant, and we ask all New Yorkers to remain vigilant as well. We activated our protocols for this earthquake,” said Iscol. Iscol advises New Yorkers if they are caught outside during an aftershock to move to an open area away from buildings, trees, and power lines, and if driving to pull over to a safe location.
Commissioner James Oddo of the Department of Buildings stated that additional construction and engineering professionals will be on call over the weekend if reports of damage come in. “There are 1.1 million buildings in this city, which means we need cooperation from construction professionals. We’ve messaged that to them but let me take this opportunity again to remind all of our construction professionals you need to go out and check on your buildings, even if those sites are closed, and determine that the sites are secure,” said Oddo. “And if you see any conditions that are troublesome, please reach out to the department.”
CEO Janno Lieber of the Metropolitan Transit Authority reassured New Yorkers that the subways will continue to operate safely.
“Our frontline staff across the system have been instructed to report any abnormalities. There have been none so far flagged, and of course, we’re going to continue to monitor the situation very closely. We have an open communications bridge with all of our MTA agencies to report, as I said, any abnormality that they encounter. So far, the input on that has been zero,” said Lieber.
It was advised that all New Yorkers, and those visiting New York, should sign up for NotifyNYC. It is available in 14 languages, including American Sign Language. You can sign up by calling 311. You can download the app or go to .
