New York State was hit by a small earthquake in the morning of Feb. 6. Despite the quake being the largest recorded since 1999, no significant damage was caused.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a 3.8 magnitude earthquake struck east of Buffalo, in the suburb of West Seneca at about 6:15 a.m. Tremors lasted for several seconds, prompting many residents in the area to flock to their windows and onto social media to get clarity on what had happened.
Governor Kathy Hochul posted about the event on Twitter:
“The Buffalo area experienced an earthquake this morning. No damage has been reported at this time. My team is in touch with local officials and we will provide any support needed.”
According to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, the quake was felt within at least a 30-mile radius. He said it felt like a car had hit his house.
“Just off the phone with Dep. Commissioner Butcher who confirmed [the] quake was felt as far north as Niagara Falls and south to Orchard Park from initial reports. It felt like a car hit my house in Buffalo. I jumped out of bed.”
According to Earthquake Canada, slight tremors were recorded in southern Ontario, measuring a 4.2 magnitude.
Earthquakes, albeit small, are common in the State of New York. They are, however, rarely felt as strongly.
The event was underlined by two previous weather extremities in the region. In November, a snowstorm dumped up to 7 feet of snow in some areas. This was followed by a blizzard the month after, which caused nearly 50 deaths.
Just hours before the earthquake struck New York State, a powerful 7.9 magnitude tremor hit southern Turkey and parts of Syria, killing over 1,000 people. According to the USGS, the two events are unrelated.
