New Yorkers are apparently so used to explosions that few people noticed an earthquake hit Queens until several hours after the rare incident.
A 1.7 magnitude earthquake rocked part of Astoria, Queens, early Tuesday morning after reports of what sounded like an explosion on Roosevelt Island came in, according to the United States Geological Survey. There were no reports of injuries or damages in the area, WABC reported.
BREAKING NEWS:
Turns out what sounded like an explosion on Roosevelt Island early this morning was actually an earthquake. The United States Geological Survey reported a 1.7 magnitude earthquake near Astoria, Queens.
The incident shook many residents out of bed,
There were no…— TalkRadio 77 WABC (@77WABCradio) January 2, 2024
Calls began coming in around 5:45 a.m., from Astoria and the Upper East Side, coinciding with the earthquake. One resident said it “sounded like a bomb went off,” according to WABC. (RELATED: Evidence Of Massive Earthquake In US 1,100 Years Ago Suggests It Could Happen Again)
“It was like an explosion, sounded like a bomb went off. The building shook, it woke us up. We called downstairs and they said it happened to all four buildings,” an unidentified resident said.
Another resident at Buildings 2 and 4 River Road near the Roosevelt Island Bridge and Tram said they lost power.
“The elevators were out, we walked down. So much commotion going on,” the resident said, according to WABC. “No one knew what was going on.”
Authorities with the FDNY are checking for possible structural damages while Con Ed is investigating the power outages, according to the report.
An earthquake last hit New York State in May, when a 2.2 magnitude earthquake hit Westchester County and New Jersey.