On Friday morning, the question on everyone’s lips across New York City was, “Did you feel that?”
From the bustling office spaces of the Woolworth Building to the cubicles of Lower Manhattan, and even the residential streets of Brooklyn, the same query echoed: “Did you feel that?”
It was Mehdi Mammadov’s colleagues on the 27th floor, Julie Hendricks-Atkins’ fellow workers in Lower Manhattan, and a concerned resident in Greenpoint who voiced the inquiry as the city experienced a mild 4.8 magnitude earthquake, originating near Lebanon, New Jersey, at 10:23 local time.
Governor Kathy Hochul swiftly assured the public that there were “no life-threatening situations,” with damage primarily limited to a few cracks in New Jersey sidewalks and some fallen items off shelves.
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Despite the tremors, New Yorkers, known for their resilience, maintained their composure. Danielle Guida, who was at a gym in Midtown Manhattan, described the experience as “freaky,” while Razia Sultana and her colleagues briefly prepared to evacuate before the shaking subsided.
Yet, for many residents, the earthquake was just another blip in the city’s constant chaos. Some mistook the shaking for construction noise, while others, like Mr. Mammadov, were simply unflustered by the event.
In schools, children reacted with curiosity, some even attributing the tremors to ghosts. By lunchtime, the incident seemed forgotten as subway riders ignored emergency alerts and officials cautioned about possible aftershocks.
Social media, ever active, saw a mix of humor and concern. The Empire State Building declared its safety, while others pondered if it was merely a “vibe shift.” However, not all messages were lighthearted; some, like those from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, took a more ominous tone.
Meanwhile, in Greenpoint, residents emerged from their homes, unfazed by the quake, continuing their daily routines as if nothing had happened.
