2.9-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Somerset County: USGS

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A preliminary 2.9-magnitude earthquake rattled Somerset County early Saturday morning, one of dozens of small temblors to hit the state since April 5's 4.8 earthquake.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck around 4:50 a.m. about 7 km west-southwest of Gladstone. Last weekend, the USGS also recorded a 2.1-magnitude earthquake in the same area.

Saturday morning's quake is one of several to hit the Garden State this week. The USGS has recorded numerous small quakes in Somerset, Hunterdon and Morris counties. In the last week, all originated near Califon, Gladstone and Chester.

The aftershocks come three weeks after a 4.8 magnitude quake rattled the tri-state area. The USGS said more than 42 million people might have felt the initial quake, centered about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia.

Earthquakes are less common on the eastern than western edges of the United States because the East Coast does not lie on a boundary of tectonic plates. But 13 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or stronger have been recorded since 1950 within 311 miles of April 5's temblor, the USGS said.

The strongest was a 5.8-magnitude quake in Mineral, Virginia, on Aug. 23, 2011, that jolted people from Georgia to Canada.

Did you feel Saturday morning's aftershock? Report it to the USGS for tracking purposes.