While earthquakes are relatively uncommon in the Northeast, the events highlight the region's ongoing seismic activity.

The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that shook the East Coast came nearly a year and a half after a magnitude 4.8 quake shocked New York City and its surroundings

The quake was the second one to hit the New York City metro region four days. Both earthquakes were centered in Bergen County. On Saturday night, a 3.0 magnitude earthquake was centered northeast of Hasbrouck Heights, about 10 kilometers below the surface, according to the USGS.