Strongest earthquake in 40 years hits Buffalo area: "Like a car hit my house"

A mini earthquake rumbled done occidental New York early Monday, alarming group successful a region unaccustomed to specified shaking but apparently causing nary important damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey preliminarily reported a 3.8 earthquake centered eastbound of Buffalo successful nan suburb of West Seneca astatine astir 6:15 a.m. Seismologist Yaareb Altaweel said it was nan region's strongest quake successful astatine slightest 40 years.

The shaking lasted a fewer seconds and sent residents first to their windows and past to societal media successful hunt of an explanation.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz tweeted that no harm had been reported truthful acold successful West Seneca, a suburb of Buffalo.

"It felt for illustration a car deed my location successful Buffalo. I jumped retired of bed," Poloncarz tweeted. County emergency services officials confirmed nan earthquake was felt successful astatine slightest a 30-mile radius, including successful Niagara Falls, astir 20 miles northbound of Buffalo, he said.

Earthquake Canada, which measured a 4.2 magnitude event, reported it was felt somewhat successful confederate Ontario.

Small earthquakes are not different successful upstate New York but are seldom felt arsenic strongly. The earthquake comes connected nan heels of 2 record-breaking upwind events successful nan region: A snowstorm that dropped arsenic overmuch arsenic 7 feet of snowfall successful November and a blizzard in December that is blamed for 47 deaths.

The occidental New York earthquake occurred hours aft powerful quakes killed hundreds successful Turkey and Syria. A USGS spokesperson said location is nary relationship betwixt nan 2 events.

In:
• Buffalo
• Earthquake
• New York

Source cbsnews.com