Honor the resilience of New Yorkers with this I Survived The NYC Earthquake Shirt

Residents Rattled But Unharmed as NYC Grapples with Rare Earthquake; ‘I Survived The NYC Earthquake’ Shirt Gains Popularity

A rare earthquake on Friday morning left New York City grappling with an unfamiliar phenomenon as it reverberated from Philadelphia to Boston. Although millions of residents were startled by the earthquake, the city emerged mostly unscathed, with only minor reports of damage and a gas leak in Rockland County.

The epicenter of the quake, located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, approximately 40 miles west of New York City, marked the third strongest seismic event within a 250-mile radius of the metropolis since 1950. Aftershocks continued to ripple throughout the region despite its relatively low magnitude, prompting authorities to watch for further seismic activity.

Assuring the public of their preparedness and coordination efforts, Governors Kathy Hochul of New York and Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey emphasised minimal structural damage and a lack of major incidents. As emergency services reported no significant issues following the quake, Mayor Eric Adams assured New Yorkers to continue their daily routines.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York.

My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 5, 2024

In New York City, however, the earthquake exposed the shortcomings of its emergency notification system, as residents received alerts long after the quake occurred. According to Zach Iscol, the U.S.G.S. must confirm alerts before they can be issued, so the delay was justified.

Although the quake triggered momentary panic, experts noted the stark contrast between the minor incident and catastrophic earthquakes elsewhere. In more earthquake-prone regions, Friday’s shaking would not have registered on the seismic scale, according to Ron Hamburger, a leading structural engineer.

Even so, many residents were shaken by the suddenness of the tremors. Individuals across the city recounted their experiences with a mix of surprise and apprehension, from Whitehouse Station, where Valorie Brennan mistook the shaking for a furnace explosion, to Marble Hill, where Ada Carrasco fled mid-dishwashing.

During the aftermath, the “I Survived The NYC Earthquake, April 5th, 2024” shirt gained popularity among New Yorkers, encapsulating the city’s ability to weather unexpected challenges.