Update: Possible Answer for Roosevelt Island Explosions Is Surprising Many

I reported earlier about the explosions that people heard early this morning around Roosevelt Island. There were "booms" and "shaking," according to people in the area. People even felt the explosions in Astoria, Queens. Roosevelt Island sits in the East River. It has Manhattan on one side and Queens on the other.

There were also reports of multiple manhole covers blowing, as well as power outages on Roosevelt Island.

"It was like an explosion, sounded like a bomb went off. The building shook, it woke us up. We called downstairs and they said it happened to all four buildings," a resident said.

There was a major emergency response in reaction, with firefighters coming out to investigate.

Now, from such a report, one postulates different possibilities: terrorism, gas explosions, transformers, and the like.

But the explanation that seems to be the running theory right now is not one that most people would generally think of in that area of New York: an earthquake.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, right at the time that people were hearing the booms and the shaking around 5:45 a.m., there was a small 1.7 magnitude earthquake at a depth of three miles.

🚨#BREAKING: Officials now state that a minor 1.7 magnitude earthquake is thought to have awakened residents in Roosevelt Island and Queens, causing a series of small explosions that resulted in a power outage on Tuesday morning pic.twitter.com/DeuEzwmIa9
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 2, 2024

According to the USGS, more than 130 people reported feeling the shaking, but there have so far been no reports of any damage or injuries.
The FOX Forecast Center says the magnitude 1.7 earthquake in New York City is now the strongest to occur within New York City limits since a magnitude 2.4 earthquake on Oct. 27, 2001. It's also the eighth earthquake within New York City limits since 1970.

There was also an earthquake about five hours prior to the New York one near Washington, D.C.

🚨#UPDATE: This occurred when a magnitude 2.3 earthquake struck outside of Washington, D.C., early on Tuesday morning around 12:50 am, followed by a 1.7 magnitude quake near Astoria, Queens, at 5:45 am. According to reports, this is relatively rare for the East Coast pic.twitter.com/WzqXncZnjd
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 2, 2024

The working theory is that the earthquake in New York caused the explosions and knocked out the power, but they have Con Ed continuing to investigate. Seems like a lot of noise and exploding for a 1.7 magnitude, so some people remain skeptical that was the explanation.

Fortunately, whatever the reason, although many people felt/heard the explosions, there was no damage found at this point. There were "no impacts to transit, traffic, or utility services, and no structural stability issues at this time," according to NYC Emergency Management.

So we'll have to see as they investigate further, but that's the official theory — at least for now.