Small Earthquake Shakes Lower Hudson Valley, Felt Across Region

A magnitude 2.3 earthquake struck roughly half a mile from Sleepy Hollow at 10:17 a.m. on March 10, sending light shaking across Westchester County and into the broader Hudson Valley, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor, which registered at a depth of 7.4 kilometers beneath the surface, was felt from Sleepy Hollow north through the Hudson Valley and south into Yonkers. Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins confirmed there were no reports of damage or other impacts on infrastructure following the quake.

The former Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan, which sits within Westchester County, also came through without incident. Officials there reported no impacts, though precautionary site surveys were planned as a follow-up measure.

The event is historically uncommon for the area. Only 20 earthquakes of at least 2.3 magnitude have been recorded in this vicinity since 1950, placing Tuesday's tremor among a rare class of seismic activity for the lower Hudson Valley.

Earthquakes of this size typically cause no structural damage and are often described by residents as a brief rumble or vibration, sometimes mistaken for a passing truck. The shallow depth of the quake, at roughly 4.6 miles, can amplify the sensation of shaking at the surface compared to deeper events of similar magnitude.