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An earthquake hit New York and New Jersey, and people online are being totally normal about it

The city that famously doesn't get earthquakes just got an earthquake.

Christianna Silva

on April 5, 2024

A photo of the New York City skyline and a Who! Weekly screenshot on Twitter

Yes Jessica. Credit: Itza Villavicencio Urbieta / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Northeast cities were rocked by a 4.8-magnitude earthquake around 10:20 a.m. on Friday, but if you spend any time on X, you probably already knew that.

The internet reacted swiftly, in a way that might have reminded you of the Twitter (X) of yore. There was a time when X was less about virality and more about sharing news right as it was happening — and that's what happened when the glasses started to shake in Northeast cabinets on Friday morning. Dozens of voices bounced through the halls of the social media platforms echoing: "Did you just feel that?"

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It's uncommon for New Yorkers to experience an earthquake, but it's not unheard of. This quake was centered near Lebanon, New Jersey, roughly 40 miles west of New York City. The Mashable culture and tech teams were in a video meeting discussing the merits of Beyonce's new album, Cowboy Carter, specifically her cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" when we felt it.

Beyond the most obvious observations ("we had an earthquake"), here are some of the best tweets about the disturbing phenomenon.

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Topics X/Twitter

Christianna Silva

Senior Culture Reporter

Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.

Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.