3.1-magnitude earthquake hits New Jersey, USGS says

EAST FREEHOLD, N.J. -- A 3.1-magnitude earthquake struck near East Freehold, New Jersey, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake was reported Wednesday around 2 a.m. on the East Coast, according to the USGS.

USGS said the temblor was centered 1.25 miles south-southeast of East Freehold. It struck at a depth of 3.1 miles.

Shaking and loud bangs were reported, but no injuries or serious damage were immediately reported. Social media, mostly from central New Jersey residents, reported they thought something hit the house or a low flying plane.



The quake was felt "in much of central New Jersey," according to the National Weather Service.



The earthquake, although small, is also relatively uncommon in the region. A 3.1 earthquake was reported in a 10 mile radius of Freehold in 1992. On Aug. 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in central Virginia shook buildings in New Jersey.