A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck New Jersey on Friday, rattling Penn’s campus but causing no damage or injuries.
The Penn Division of Public Safety issued a UPenn Alert in response to the earthquake, which struck in Edison, N.J. at 10:23 a.m., telling community members that no damages had been reported but to “stay where you are and Drop, Cover, and Hold On” in the event of aftershocks. Public Safety, Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services and other first responders were checking all buildings, DPS wrote.
DPS sent a follow-up alert at 11:22 a.m. confirming that “no injuries or building damage” have been reported.
The earthquake was felt across Penn’s campus and as far up the east coast as New York and Boston. It also led to a brief evacuation of City Hall, according to NBC10 Philadelphia.
This is the strongest earthquake to be felt in the Philadelphia area since 2011, when a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred in Virginia but caused no damage on Penn’s campus.
No SEPTA service delays have been reported in the wake of the earthquake, but service on the PATCO High Speed Line has been suspended with no timeframe for it to resume, according to statements on X.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote on X that his team is working with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Association to monitor the situation and any potential damages.
“We will keep Pennsylvanians updated,” he wrote.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the earthquake and is in contact with federal, state, and local officials, according to the White House press office.
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