In the early hours of Tuesday morning, residents of New York City were startled by what they believed to be a series of small explosions. Firefighters and emergency responders were quick to arrive at the scene on Roosevelt Island, only to find no evidence of an explosion or fire.
Residents in both Manhattan and Queens reported hearing what sounded like small explosions coming from Main Street, south of the Roosevelt Island Tramway, just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The situation was resolved within an hour, with no injuries or rescues required. However, the cause of the loud booms remained unknown, leaving both the fire officials and residents perplexed.
However, thanks to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the mystery behind the incident may have been solved. It turns out that a 1.7 magnitude earthquake occurred near Astoria, Queens, at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, potentially explaining the reported loud booms and shaking buildings.
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The USGS, renowned for monitoring and studying earthquakes, revealed that a 1.7 magnitude earthquake had occurred near Astoria, Queens, at the same time as the reported explosions. This revelation shed light on the possible cause of the mysterious incident. While local officials have not yet confirmed the earthquake as the definitive cause, the timing aligns with the reports from residents.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) swiftly responded to the reports, deploying 60 fire and medical personnel to the scene. However, their efforts were in vain as no fire or explosion was found. The FDNY declared the scene “unfounded” and handed over the investigation to Con Edison, the city’s electricity provider. Con Edison reported no power outages on Roosevelt Island at the time and dispatched emergency crews to investigate the situation further.
During a media availability, Mayor Eric Adams’ chief of staff stated that the mayor’s office was awaiting more information following the USGS announcement of the earthquake. Mayor Adams himself admitted that he did not feel the earthquake, further emphasizing the surprising nature of the incident. The mayor’s office is likely to collaborate with relevant agencies to determine the exact cause of the reported shaking and explosion sounds.
This earthquake in New York comes just day after a series of earthquakes rocked western Japan, killing almost 50 people in the Ishikawa prefecture. It was said the coast guard plane had been due to head to Niigata to deliver relief goods to residents affected by the disaster.