New York hit by strongest earthquake in 40 years as millions woken up by tremors
New York has suffered its strongest earthquake in at least 40 years after millions of people in the state were woken up by the shake.
The U.S. Geological Survey preliminarily reported a 3.8 earthquake centered east of Buffalo in the suburb of West Seneca at about 6:15 a.m this morning.
Seismologist Yaareb Altaweel said it was the region's strongest quake in at least 40 years.
The shaking lasted a few seconds and sent residents first to their windows and then to social media in search of an explanation.
"It felt like a car hit my house in Buffalo. I jumped out of bed," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted.
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County emergency services officials confirmed the earthquake was felt in at least a 30-mile radius, including in Niagara Falls, about 20 miles north of Buffalo, he said.
Governor Kathy Hochul said there were no immediate reports of damage to buildings.
The shaking lasted a few seconds and sent residents first to their windows and then to social media in search of an explanation (Getty Images)She said: "My team is in touch with local officials and we will provide any support needed."
Resident Jim LiPuma told Buffalo News the earthquake shook his whole house after he heard a painting fall of his garage wall.
He said: “It was a heavy vibration that shook the whole house. It was crazy.
“We got up to see if a car hit the house or something like that. That’s what it felt like.”
West Seneca Police joked: “Well good morning everyone. Just your usual Buffalo morning earthquake, back to bed.”
Small earthquakes are not unusual in upstate New York but are rarely felt as strongly.
It was the region's strongest quake in at least 40 years (USGS)The earthquake comes on the heels of two record-breaking weather events in the region.
A snowstorm that dropped as much as 7 feet of snow in November and a blizzard in December that is blamed for 47 deaths.
Over 3,400 people killed as massive 7.8 magnitude quake rocks Syria and Turkey
In addition, the earthquake has come just hours after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday morning.
At least 1,500 people have been killed and 6,474 people have been wounded with many left trapped in the rubble.
Millions of people were sleeping when the earthquake struck downtown Buffalo (Getty Images)A huge aftershock with a magnitude of 7.5 struck Turkey just hours after the original earthquake.
It was also felt in Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan as people were left trapped by the quake while they were sleeping.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed 1,014 have died, bringing the overall death toll in Turkey and Syria to 1,500.
And with most of the damage hitting southern Turkey and northern and central Syria, the death toll is expected to grow.
A United States Geological Survey spokesperson said there is no connection between the two events.
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