New Jersey, New York 4.8 magnitude earthquake: What’s the strongest earthquake to hit Alabama?

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the East Coast Friday morning, with reports the quake could be felt up in New York City, Delaware and Connecticut.

NJ.com is reporting the epicenter of the quake was near Readington in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It was strong enough to rattle windows and delay mass transit but no major damage has been reported. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck at 10:23 am. Friday about three and a half miles beneath the surface.

USGS figures indicated the quake might have been felt by more than 42 million people.

The strongest earthquake to hit the East Coast since World War II was reported on Aug. 23, 2011 when a magnitude 5.8 quake – centered in Virginia – was felt from Georgia to Canada.

Largest quakes to ever hit Alabama

Earthquakes are fairly common in the eastern half of the U.S., according to the USGS. There are four zones of frequent earthquake activity impacting Alabama: New Madrid Seismic Zone, the Southern Appalachian Seismic Zone, the South Carolina Seismic Zone, and the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone.

Most of the earthquakes experienced in Alabama are associated with the Southern Appalachian Seismic Zone, an extension of the East Tennessee Seismic Zone, which runs along the Appalachian Mountains from the northeastern corner into the central part of the state and the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone in southern Alabama.

The strongest quake to hit Alabama was a 5.1 magnitude tremor that hit Irondale/Easonville area on Oct .18, 1916. The quake was strong enough to knock down chimneys, break windows and shake frame buildings near its epicenter. It was felt by residents in seven states covering 100,000 square miles.

In more modern times, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit Escambia County on Oct. 24, 1997. Effects from the shaking were seen as far away as Lawrence County where a berm around a pond failed, spilling water and fish across a road. Large cracks also developed in sand along a creek, officials said.

Shaking from the quake was strong enough to be felt in Mississippi.

On Tuesday morning, April 29, 2003, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in DeKalb County, 10 miles northeast of Fort Payne. Felt in multiple southeastern states, the deep nature of the earthquake prevented significant damage in Fort Payne, the closest city, although it was strong enough to damage weaker masonry, according to the USGS.

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