M3.7 Earthquake 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey — April 5, 2024
2024-04-05 21:59:13 UTC (2024-04-05) · approx. 4:59 PM UTC-5 local
Felt by 12,579 people across a wide area. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.4 (moderate).
On April 5, 2024 at 21:59 UTC, a magnitude 3.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey, at a depth of 4.1 km and coordinates 40.6900°, -74.7463°. The earthquake was reported felt by 12,579 peopleacross a wide area, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.4 (moderate). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 34 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 641, making it a moderate-impact event. The nearest populated place is Bedminster (population 8,165).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 5.4 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 215 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in New Jersey, a region characterized by the Ramapo Fault system, an ancient structure occasionally reactivated by regional tectonic stresses. The nearest mapped fault system is the Ramapo Fault. View all earthquakes in New Jersey.
Learn more: Ramapo Fault · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 4.4 (moderate), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Mild shaking, similar to a passing truck. Hanging objects swing. Glasses and dishes may rattle. Not commonly felt outdoors.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 12,579 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 30,073,136 |
| MMI 4 | light | 386,840 |
Earthquake Details
-74.7463°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.7 earthquake near Gladstone, New Jersey?
The magnitude 3.7 earthquake that struck 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey on April 5, 2024 at 21:59 UTC had a depth of 4.1 km. It was felt by 12,579 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.4 (moderate). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 40.6900°, -74.7463°, which is 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey. The nearest populated place is Bedminster (population 8,165). View all earthquakes in New Jersey.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has New Jersey had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in New Jersey was the M4.7 Tewksbury earthquake of April 5, 2024. Today's magnitude 3.7 event is within one magnitude unit of that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000mab9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 5, 2024). M3.7 Earthquake 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey — April 5, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000mab9/