Reaction from US West Coast to New York Earthquake: "It's Nothing Serious"... Why?

Due to Geological Differences Between East and West, Seismic Waves Behave Differently
Western Residents Say "Eastern People Are Making a Fuss for No Reason"

On the 5th (local time), an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 occurred in the eastern United States, and it is estimated that about one-eighth of the U.S. population felt it. Analysts say that the widespread shaking was due to the dense rock characteristic of the East Coast.

The American internet media Axios, citing the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), reported that more than 42 million people likely felt the tremors caused by the earthquake in the New York and New Jersey areas that day. The earthquake was detected not only in New York City but also in cities across the East Coast, including Philadelphia.

Axios explained this phenomenon by stating, "Seismic waves in the eastern North America behave differently from those in the western region," adding, "If an earthquake of the same magnitude had occurred on the West Coast, it would not have been felt from such a far distance."

This difference is due to the geological fact that the rocks composing the eastern crust are much older than those in the West. For example, the Appalachian Mountains, which run north to south through the East, were formed hundreds of millions of years before other mountain ranges in the U.S., making them one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.

Manhattan area, New York, USA [Image source=Pixabay]

According to the USGS, the old and dense rocks in the East allow seismic waves to travel more efficiently. This means that the released energy can travel longer distances, allowing the seismic waves to be felt over a wide area. However, when these traveling seismic waves encounter the younger and fractured rocks of the West, the energy is absorbed by faults and quickly dissipates.

Based on data from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, this earthquake was the strongest in the New York area since the magnitude 5.2 earthquake in 1884. Because of the near magnitude 5 quake, many New York residents shared their experiences on social media (SNS), saying they were "shocked as it was their first time experiencing an earthquake."

However, the British daily The Guardian reported that "residents of the West Coast, who frequently experience earthquakes, mocked the East Coast people by saying they are making a fuss over nothing."

Meanwhile, it has been analyzed that New York's high-rise buildings can withstand small-scale earthquakes. APTN quoted design expert Elizabeth Malsh as saying, "Earthquake-related provisions were included in New York's building codes in the 1990s, which made buildings more flexible," adding, "Even if a small earthquake occurs, there is no problem for high-rise buildings designed to withstand wind."