A 4.7-magnitude earthquake that hit off the Maryland coast may have been felt in New Jersey, although there is no official word that anyone in Ocean or Monmouth counties felt it.
The United States Geological Survey is working with a skeleton crew amidst the partial federal government shutdown. No one is available to speak with the media, but the USGS did report that the earthquake occurred 136 miles off the Ocean City, Maryland, coast around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15.
A seismic station in Hammonton, New Jersey (Atlantic County) reported feeling a 1.5—or very low—intensity.
There were no official reports available how far north “citizen scientists” may have felt shaking.
A 4.7 magnitude earthquake is considered “light.” It will be felt above ground and may cause some minor breakage. There are between 2,000-12,000 such quakes annually.
Ocean County last felt an earthquake Aug. 23, 2011, when a 5.9 quake originating in Virginia was felt as far north as New York City.
I felt a slight shake