A minor earthquake in Canada rattled parts of New York and New Jersey this afternoon, shaking buildings and lighting up phone lines to emergency services.
There are no reports of any serious damage.
Federal officials say the 5.5-magnitude quake was centered about 40 miles north of Ottawa.
People from Buffalo to Albany and north to Massena on the St. Lawrence River say pets were startled and plates rattled at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday.
One NBCNewYork viewer, Linda Craig of Seneca Falls, NY said her bedroom shook for a good 20-30 seconds. Craig, who lived in California for 24 years, said it definitely felt like the real deal.
"I was resting due to a hand injury when suddenly my bed, on the second floor, began to shake, slowly at first and then it got stronger, so I opened my eyes and noticed that my antique dresser with a mirror top was shaker quite rapidly," said Craig. "I could hear the earthquake 'noise,' the rumbling sound that comes with it. "
David French, 53-year-old state worker from Cicero, NY, says he was at his computer inside his home outside Syracuse when he felt his chair shake.
And on Twitter, @NBCNewYork fans from Upper Manhattan to Chinatown to New Jersey , also said they felt shaking.
One follower, @wjmarchitect wrote, "@NBCNewYork Orig. in Ottawa, Canada & propagated down the plate thru NY state and into NJ...45 seconds of pretty good shaking in Westwood NJ."
And @AdrianHopkins tweeted, "My co-workers and I definitely felt something & we're in Chinatown! RT @NBCNewYork BREAKING: Earthquake rattles NY, NJ http://bit.ly/9Gg977"
Local
From @Gsix: "@nbcnewyork earthquake felt in upper manhattan apt. building. zip code 10033"
But @Juicyfruit4u wrote: "@NBCNewYork I'm in New Rochelle, right now. Didn't feel a thing!"
New York City officials said 911 calls came in from all over the city about shaking buildings, but there were no reports of damage.
The Office of General Services, which manages state buildings across New York, said that an initial survey after the quake found no damage to their structures.
Experts say that earthquakes in places that don't normally experience them -- like the Northeast -- are felt over wider areas than those in seismically active places like California because the Earth's crust isn't as fractured as it is in places that often get tremor. As a result, the seismic waves travel farther.
The quake prompted several calls to state police in Ray Brook in the Adirondacks.
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