Is New York earthquake prone? Recent quake and flood woes highlight city's complex natural risk profile
City, long perceived as relatively safe from major
seismic threats
, is experiencing an unsettling uptick in earthquake activity. With three noticeable tremors recorded in just the past 18 months, including a magnitude 3.0 quake felt on August 2, 2025, near Newark, New Jersey, concern is growing about the city's vulnerability. While New York lies far from major tectonic plate boundaries, these increasingly frequent quakes serve as a stark reminder that the city is not immune to seismic risks, especially given its aging infrastructure and dense urban environment.
Earthquake risk in New York City and region
New York's earthquake risk is classified as 'intermediate' but significantly lower than California's due to its location far from active tectonic plate boundaries. Instead, the city and surrounding areas experience intraplate
earthquakes
caused by the reactivation of ancient faults within the North American plate, such as the Ramapo Fault system that stretches through New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
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The
largest earthquake
documented near New York City was a magnitude 5 event in 1884, likely between
Brooklyn
and Sandy Hook. Earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater occur roughly once every 100 years, and smaller magnitude quakes have been recorded frequently enough to remind experts that seismic preparedness is warranted.
Recent quakes in the area include a magnitude 4.8 tremor near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey in April 2024 and the recent 3.0-magnitude event in New Jersey, whose effects extended into Manhattan and Brooklyn. Despite these quakes being moderate, New York City's dense population and many buildings lacking modern seismic reinforcement (as most predate the 1995 seismic code) raise the possibility of structural damage even in moderate shaking scenarios.
New York City Emergency Management has monitored these events closely, advising residents to check for hazards after tremors and reminding that no significant damage was reported for the latest quake.
FEMA
ranks New York as having a notable risk for earthquake-related losses, particularly due to its aging infrastructure and unreinforced masonry buildings.
Live Events
Flash floods
Alongside seismic concerns, New York and its surrounding areas are currently battling severe weather conditions marked by intense rainfall and localized
flooding
. The city has faced repeated episodes of heavy downpours in the summer of 2025, overwhelming drainage systems and raising alarms for flood preparedness.
Meteorological data from early August 2025 indicates persistent storms fueled by humid air masses from the Atlantic, leading to flash flooding in low-lying neighborhoods and subway disruptions. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued several warnings for the New York metropolitan area, advising residents to remain cautious of flooded roads and stalled traffic.
Authorities urge residents to remain informed about both earthquake preparedness and flood safety measures as New York navigates these multifaceted natural risks.
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Time of India
03-08-2025
- Time of India
Is New York earthquake prone? Recent quake and flood woes highlight city's complex natural risk profile
New York City, long perceived as relatively safe from major seismic threats , is experiencing an unsettling uptick in earthquake activity. With three noticeable tremors recorded in just the past 18 months, including a magnitude 3.0 quake felt on August 2, 2025, near Newark, New Jersey, concern is growing about the city's vulnerability. While New York lies far from major tectonic plate boundaries, these increasingly frequent quakes serve as a stark reminder that the city is not immune to seismic risks, especially given its aging infrastructure and dense urban environment. Earthquake risk in New York City and region New York's earthquake risk is classified as 'intermediate' but significantly lower than California's due to its location far from active tectonic plate boundaries. Instead, the city and surrounding areas experience intraplate earthquakes caused by the reactivation of ancient faults within the North American plate, such as the Ramapo Fault system that stretches through New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Data Analytics MBA Leadership Data Science Project Management MCA Public Policy Management others Data Science CXO PGDM healthcare Finance Design Thinking Technology Degree Product Management Digital Marketing Operations Management Others Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details The largest earthquake documented near New York City was a magnitude 5 event in 1884, likely between Brooklyn and Sandy Hook. Earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater occur roughly once every 100 years, and smaller magnitude quakes have been recorded frequently enough to remind experts that seismic preparedness is warranted. Recent quakes in the area include a magnitude 4.8 tremor near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey in April 2024 and the recent 3.0-magnitude event in New Jersey, whose effects extended into Manhattan and Brooklyn. Despite these quakes being moderate, New York City's dense population and many buildings lacking modern seismic reinforcement (as most predate the 1995 seismic code) raise the possibility of structural damage even in moderate shaking scenarios. New York City Emergency Management has monitored these events closely, advising residents to check for hazards after tremors and reminding that no significant damage was reported for the latest quake. FEMA ranks New York as having a notable risk for earthquake-related losses, particularly due to its aging infrastructure and unreinforced masonry buildings. Live Events Flash floods Alongside seismic concerns, New York and its surrounding areas are currently battling severe weather conditions marked by intense rainfall and localized flooding . The city has faced repeated episodes of heavy downpours in the summer of 2025, overwhelming drainage systems and raising alarms for flood preparedness. Meteorological data from early August 2025 indicates persistent storms fueled by humid air masses from the Atlantic, leading to flash flooding in low-lying neighborhoods and subway disruptions. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued several warnings for the New York metropolitan area, advising residents to remain cautious of flooded roads and stalled traffic. Authorities urge residents to remain informed about both earthquake preparedness and flood safety measures as New York navigates these multifaceted natural risks.
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Time of India
Israeli fire kills at least 18 in Gaza, US envoy visits hostage family protest
Hospitals in Gaza reported the killing of more than a dozen people, eight of them food-seekers, by Israeli fire on Saturday as Palestinians endured severe risks in their search for food amid airdrops and restrictions on overland aid delivery . Near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site , Yahia Youssef, who had come to seek aid Saturday morning, described a panicked scene now grimly familiar. After helping carry out three people wounded by gunshots, he said he looked around and saw many others lying on the ground bleeding. 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The episode came a day after US officials visited one site and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called GHF's distribution "an incredible feat". International outrage has mounted as the group's efforts to deliver aid to hunger-stricken Gaza have been marred by violence and controversy. Live Events "We weren't close to them (the troops) and there was no threat," Abed Salah, a man in his 30s who was among the crowds close to the GHF site near Netzarim corridor, said. "I escaped death miraculously." The danger facing aid seekers in Gaza has compounded what international hunger experts this week called a "worst-case scenario of famine" in the besieged enclave. Israel's nearly 22-month military offensive against Hamas has shattered security in the territory of some 2 million Palestinians and made it nearly impossible to deliver food safely to starving people. From May 27 to July 31, 859 people were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites, according to a United Nations report published Thursday. Hundreds more have been killed along the routes of food convoys. Israel and GHF have said they have only fired warning shots and that the toll has been exaggerated. GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Israel's military has said it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, though on Friday said it was working to make the routes under its control safer. Health officials reported that Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 18 Palestinians on Saturday, including three whose bodies were transported from the vicinity of a distribution site to a central Gaza hospital along with 36 others who were wounded. Officials said 10 of Saturday's casualties were killed by strikes in central and southern Gaza. Nasser Hospital said it received the bodies of five people killed in two separate strikes on tents sheltering displaced people. The dead include two brothers and a relative, who were killed when a strike hit their tent close to a main thoroughfare in Khan Younis. The Gaza health ministry's ambulance and emergency service said an Israeli strike hit a family house in an area between the towns of Zawaida and Deir al-Balah, killing two parents and their three children. Another strike hit a tent close to the gate of a closed prison where the displaced have sheltered in Khan Younis, killing a mother and her daughter, they said. The hospital said Israeli forces killed five other Palestinians who were among crowds awaiting aid near the newly constructed Morag corridor in Rafah and between Rafah and Khan Younis. Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions about the strikes or deaths near the aid sites. Hostage families protest to end war Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, families of Israeli hostages protested and urged Israel's government to push harder for the release of their loved ones, including those shown in footage released by militant groups earlier this week. US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff joined them a day after visiting Gaza and a week after walking away from ceasefire talks in Qatar, blaming Hamas's intransigence and pledging to find other ways to free hostages and make Gaza safe. Of the 251 hostages who were abducted when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, around 20 are believed to be alive in Gaza. Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza, released separate videos of individual hostages this week, triggering outrage among hostage families and Israeli society. Israeli media hasn't broadcast the videos, calling them propaganda, but the family of 21-year-old Rom Braslavski allowed for the release of a photograph showing him visibly emaciated in an unknown location. After viewing the video, Tami Braslavski, his mother, blamed top Israeli officials and demanded they meet with her. "They broke my child, I want him home now," Braslavski told Ynet on Thursday. "Look at him: Thin, limp, crying. All his bones are out." Hostage families and their supporters protesting in Tel Aviv called on Israel's government to make a deal to end the war, imploring them to "stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels". "Do the right thing and just do it now," Lior Chorev ,the Hostages Family Forum's Chief Strategy Officer said. Airdrops expand despite limited impact To circumvent restrictions on aid trucks crossing overland into Gaza, additional countries joined the Jordan-led coalition orchestrating parcels being dropped from the skies. Alongside Israel, several European countries announced plans this week to join airdrop efforts, though most acknowledge the strategy is woefully insufficient. "If there is political will to allow airdrops - which are highly costly, insufficient; inefficient, there should be similar political will to open the road crossings," Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, wrote on X on Saturday. "Let's go back to what works & let us do our job." The war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the Hamas government. The UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
Time of India
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- Time of India
Drones spying on Ghaziabad? What triggered panic in UP villages as locals say, 'yahaan se aata hai…'
A wave of drone hysteria has swept through several villages in Ghaziabad , as locals take matters into their own hands, armed with sticks, megaphones, and mobile phones, after a string of forwarded videos sparked fears of burglary recces being carried out using drones. As per a TOI report, in villages like Kumhera and Amirpuri Garhi, people have formed night patrol squads, patrolling till 3am, despite no confirmed sightings of drones by the authorities. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Others Artificial Intelligence Operations Management Digital Marketing MCA Technology Design Thinking Leadership Cybersecurity Public Policy Product Management Data Science Degree Data Science Project Management MBA Data Analytics others Healthcare CXO Management Finance healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 28 Weeks MICA CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details 'We saw it in the sky… maybe' At Kumhera, villagers recall seeing blinking lights flying low over sugarcane fields and rooftops. 'It came from that side, then swooped across our village,' Mohit Kumar Sharma told TOI, pointing towards the starless sky. 'It had red and green lights,' another villager added. The group nodded in agreement, although most admitted they hadn't personally seen the drone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elegant New Scooters For Seniors In 2024: The Prices May Surprise You Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Learn More Undo Instead, they rely on videos circulated in WhatsApp groups, which they claim show drones scouting empty homes. "We didn't take the video, but someone did. It's real," insists another local. Others back him up with similar stories, second-hand sightings and forwarded clips. Roadblocks, ID checks, and rumour patrols At Amirpuri Garhi, things have escalated to roadblocks. Patrol members, some carrying axes, stop passing vehicles, demanding Aadhaar cards and asking where people are headed. 'We even call the person the driver says he's visiting, just to verify,' says one man from the group. Live Events The panic isn't limited to Ghaziabad. Similar reports have emerged from villages in Meerut, Moradabad, Amroha, and even parts of Uttarakhand, all fuelled by eerily similar forwarded videos. According to Bijendra Kumar, pradhan of both Kumhera and Amirpuri Garhi, no one has seen a drone in person, but he's allowing the night patrols "as a precaution", since the videos are "everywhere". No solid proof, but fears persist The Ghaziabad police have confirmed that over the last weekend, they received around 12 calls about nighttime drone sightings. But police checks turned up nothing unusual. "We even posted a team in the area, but no drone was spotted," said a senior officer. One widely-shared video that sparked panic turned out to be a zoomed-in clip of a civilian aircraft, police investigations revealed. DCP (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari told TOI, "We've collected the videos and sent them for forensic analysis to find out where and when they were shot. So far, we've found no credible evidence of drones." What the experts say Drone flying is banned in Ghaziabad under current restrictions since Operation Sindoor, and special permission is needed from the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to operate drones. Violators can be booked under sections 223 and 351 of the new criminal code for breach of trust and endangering life. Rahul Rathi, a drone operator working with Ghaziabad police, clarified that only micro-drones under 249 grams are allowed without registration, and even these have very limited range and visibility. "You can't fly them in villages unnoticed. The operator would be very close by." Meanwhile, floodplain mapping near the Hindon river, which does use drones, only takes place during daytime and far from these villages. The power of forwarded fears Despite no confirmed sightings, the villagers remain firm in their belief that drones are hovering above. Patrols continue nightly, led by worry, rumour, and mobile screens glowing with forwarded clips. "The videos may be old, or not even from our area, but people believe them," said Additional CP Alok Priyadarshi, admitting that social media has outpaced reality in this case. As villagers keep their eyes glued to the skies, perhaps the real threat is not what's flying above, but what's flying across their phone screens. Inputs from TOI
