Recent research reveals a unique energy transmission pattern from the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck New Jersey in April of this year, leading to stronger seismic effects in New York City than in the epicenter itself. This development suggests that future disaster preparedness and building seismic standards may need to be reassessed sooner than expected.
In a new paper published by Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, researchers detail how the earthquake, which occurred on April 5 in Tewksbury, New Jersey, marked the largest seismic event in the surrounding area since 1900. Surprisingly, damage reports from New York City—located several miles away from the epicenter—indicated greater shaking and destruction than those closer to the source, with over 150 buildings sustaining minor damage and reports of gas and water line leaks in the Hudson Valley region.
The findings suggest that the intensity of shaking in New York City is driven by natural geological factors rather than its denser construction and population. Researchers analyzed data from seismic stations near the epicenter and developed a fault movement model, showing that the earthquake’s energy was not transmitted along known fault lines as traditionally expected. Instead, energy was directed toward New York City at an angle of 50 to 60 degrees to the northeast. Maps provided in the study illustrate that the center of energy release spans from Nassau County on Long Island, through Queens, to the Bronx and Westchester County, while the actual epicenter lies at the outer edge of this energy release zone.
According to the researchers, the earthquake’s geology involves characteristics of oblique faulting. The initial rupture occurred near the surface in the proximity of the epicenter and continued downward along an inclined fault plane, directing energy release toward the northeast due to the fault’s slope.
The research does not emphasize the identification of new geological faults but suggests that the April earthquake released energy along a different trajectory than previously recognized fault lines. This indicates that New York City’s earthquake preparedness efforts may need to confront unforeseen challenges.
Won-Young Kim, the paper’s second author, noted in an interview with local media outlet Gothamist that earthquakes of magnitude 5 occur in the region roughly once every hundred years and can happen at any time.
A 2008 study by Columbia highlighted that while Manhattan’s high-rise buildings are typically anchored on solid bedrock, offering them better seismic resistance, areas in Queens—such as Long Island City and Astoria—are primarily built on clay, sediment, and fill, making them more vulnerable to significant earthquake damage.
