'You're making ground shake': Earthquake in New Jersey interrupts UN briefing on Gaza; WATCH viral video

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck the US state of New Jersey on Friday, causing a momentary disruption during a UN Security Council meeting in nearby New York City.

Youre making ground shake New Jersey earthquake interrupts UN briefing on Gaza; WATCH viral video snt

Team Asianet Newsable

First Published Apr 5, 2024, 10:00 PM IST

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck the US state of New Jersey on Friday, causing a momentary disruption during a UN Security Council meeting in nearby New York City. In a video shared by the UN on X, Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer of the "Save the Children" organization, was providing a briefing to the Security Council on the situation in war-torn Gaza. Suddenly, participants at the United Nations building felt the tremors of the earthquake, briefly interrupting the proceedings.

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As she took a pause, a fellow member said, "You're making the ground shake!".

After the tremors subsided, she continued her briefing uninterrupted.

A minor earthquake, measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, rattled New York City, originating in the neighboring state of New Jersey. Initial reports indicated no injuries or significant damage.

Social media users across a wide area, from Philadelphia to New York and extending eastward along Long Island, reported feeling the tremors.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that the earthquake's epicenter was west of Manhattan and stated that it was felt throughout the state.

"My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day," she posted on X.

Earlier in the day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that "scattered measures" for Gaza aid fall short of what is needed, following Israel's announcement to the UN that it will permit a "significant increase" in aid.

"It's not enough to have scattered measures -- we need a paradigm shift," he told reporters at the UN's New York headquarters.

On October 7 of last year, Hamas launched an offensive on Israel, killing over 1,170 Israelis and foreigners—the majority of them were civilians—starting the most recent conflict in Gaza.

In Gaza, Israel's counteroffensive has claimed the lives of almost 33,000 civilians since then.

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Last Updated Apr 5, 2024, 10:05 PM IST