Earthquakes in New York are uncommon, but certainly not unheard-of. While the term “movers and shakers” is more often heard in relation to Wall Street, the Virginia earthquake of August 2011 was felt in the Big Apple. In 2010, a 3.9-magnitude earthquake caused headlines in New York; this 5.8-magnitude shaker was a whole lot stronger. Fortunately, because its epicenter was so far away, damage was minimized.
What causes earthquakes in New York?
The USGS says that earthquakes in New York are likely caused by intraplate tectonics – not the constant grinding of current plates against one another, as occurs on the California faults, but the stresses of the Earth pressing on ancient, inactive and much deeper faults. By ancient we're talking between 250 and 450 million years ago, when the African and American continents slammed into one another to form a super-continent, Pangaia. It's not a case of nary the twain shall meet; it's that the twain have met and parted company again.
Either way, earthquakes in New York are rare, even in four centuries of recorded history. The first to be felt was on December 18, 1737, and it rang a few bells (actually, when the 18th-century New Madrid earthquakes took pace, bells rang in New York too – but that's another story.
When were the earthquakes in New York?
Back then, the Richter scale hadn't been created, so historic earthquakes are measured based on contemporary reports and intensity levels are assigned (geologists still determine intensity levels). An 1877 earthquake in New York state was intensity VII; for perspective, it shook Canada. Another VII earthquake was recorded in 1884. Every decade or so, New York earthquakes happen, some centered on the city and others farther away. A direct hit from an earthquake would be horrendous – but it could happen. Just ask Haiti, or Japan.
The USGS maintains history pages on different areas of the United States, and also has constantly updating earthquake maps. And for those still wondering what was the largest historical earthquake in New York – a 5.8-magnitude quake, occurred on September 5, 1944. It was an intensity VIII but, thanks to not having been centered there, shook but did not stir New York City.
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