2.73 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Morris County

By Daniel Hubbard and Jason Koestenblatt

While residents in Morris County were star gazing for the Perseid meteor shower, the ground below them was rumbling Friday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that a 2.73-magnitude earthquake struck Morris County Friday morning.

Official time of the quake was 3:41 a.m., and the center of the rumble was along the bank of the Passaic River in the New Jersey Brigade Encampment National Historic Park inside the road triangle of Jockey Hollow Road, Tempe Wick Road, and Mount Kemble Avenue.

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management said the county’s 911 center started to receive calls at approximately 3:42 a.m. this morning from residents of Morristown, Morris Township, Randolph, Mendham Township, Mendham Borough, Chester Township, Chester Borough, and Washington Township.

The USGS said the center of the quake was two miles north northeast of Bernardsville; four miles southwest of Morristown; and seven miles west of Madison;

No injuries or structural issues were reported, authorities said.

Many of the callers reported that they felt their house shake, the OEM said.