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A 2.7 earthquake shook near Hillsdale, N.J. Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It happened shortly after 12 p.m.
The earthquake hit about 7.7 miles deep about 1.25 miles southwest of Hillsdale, according to the USGS.
CBS News New York’s Nick Caloway reported the ground rumbled in Ridgewood for about five seconds, then stopped.
“So far, we’ve received approximately 290 felt reports this morning on this earthquake. This is a smaller earthquake than the one that occurred over the weekend,” the USGS said in a statement.
The quake was felt in Leonia and surrounding communities, Leonia police said. No damage was immediately reported.
“Tremors may have been felt in parts of New York City,” New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry said. “No immediate protective action is needed unless you experienced damage. If you felt shaking, check for hazards such as shifted items, falling debris, or cracks.”
“No major impacts reported at this time,” Daughtry added.
Tuesday’s incident comes on the heels of a 3.0-magnitude earthquake in Bergen County’s Hasbrouck Heights Saturday night that rattled parts of New Jersey and New York. Saturday night’s earthquake was felt up to 65 miles away in parts of New York’s Lower Hudson Valley and western Connecticut.
A 3.0 earthquake is considered relatively weak on the 1-9 Richter Scale, where 9 is the strongest.
Officials cautioned about the possibility of aftershocks over the next few days.
In the event of aftershocks or additional earthquakes, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management says people should drop to the ground under something sturdy and hold on until the shaking stops. If you’re in bed, it’s best to stay there and protect your head with a pillow.
For more information about earthquakes and earthquake safety, click here.
There’s been a recent series of small quakes in the area. On July 21, there was a 1.6 in magnitude quake, and a 2.0 magnitude aftershock hit the next day. Fortunately, there was no major damage, if any, reported in those incidents.
The Ramapo Fault runs through north central New Jersey and typically produces several small quakes, which are not felt far from outside their epicenters in northern New Jersey.
On April 5, 2024, a 4.8 magnitude quake centered in Tewksbury, N.J. shook buildings in New York City and was felt up and down the East Coast by some 42 million people from Virginia to Maine, according to the USGS. More than 205 aftershocks carried on for weeks, including a 3.7 magnitude quake that took place just seven hours after the initial quake.
The earthquake of April 5, 2024, was also the second strongest earthquake in New Jersey history. The strongest quake recorded in the Garden State occurred on Nov. 29, 1783 and registered a 5.3 in magnitude.
Jesse Zanger is the managing editor of CBSNewYork.com. Jesse has previously worked for the Fox News Channel and Spectrum News NY1. He covers regional news around the Tri-State Area, with a particular focus on breaking news and extreme weather.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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