US East Coast earthquake rattles millions, but region escapes sweeping damage

By JENNIFER PELTZ and MIKE CATALINI
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — An unusual East Coast earthquake has shaken millions of people from New York and Philadelphia skyscrapers to rural New England. Friday’s quake caused no widespread damage. But people from Baltimore to Boston and beyond felt the ground shake. Nearly 30 people were displaced when officials evacuated three multifamily homes in Newark, New Jersey, to check for damage. Officials around the region have been inspecting bridges and other major infrastructure. Some flights were diverted or delayed. The U.S. Geological Survey says over 42 million people might have felt the midmorning quake. It had a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 and was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.