An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the ground caused by the shifting of rocks deep underneath the earth’s surface. Earthquakes can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. While they can happen anywhere without warning, areas at higher risk for earthquakes include Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington and the entire Mississippi River Valley. However, New York is a state with a long and storied history of earthquake activity that has touched all parts of the state. Since the first earthquake that probably took place on December 19, 1737, New York has had over 550 earthquakes centered within its state boundaries through 2016. It also has experienced strong ground shaking from earthquakes centered in nearby U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Most of the earthquakes in New York have taken place in the greater New York City area, in the Adirondack Mountains region, and in the western part of the state.
Links to Earthquake websites
* US Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake website
* USGS Earthquake Preparedness
* National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)
Latest Earthquakes
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