Saihaj Kaur Madan
In a moment reminiscent of scenes from a post-apocalyptic movie, photographer Dan Martland captured a flash of lightning striking the Statue of Liberty on Wednesday.
On Friday morning, 2 days after the Liberty Light Show, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck New Jersey, sending tremors through neighboring states and New York City.
The quake, centered approximately 5 miles north of Whitehouse Station, occurred around 10:23 a.m., according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicenter was about 45 miles from New York City, causing residents to feel shaking of furniture and floors.
In a recent briefing, USGS officials underscored the rarity of earthquakes of this magnitude in this particular area. They highlighted that over the past 300 years, there have been merely three instances of earthquakes near or above magnitude 5 striking near New York City.
The earthquake disrupted a UN Security Council meeting in New York City. In a video shared by the UN, Janti Soeripto, President and CEO of "Save the Children," was briefing on Gaza's situation when tremors were felt. Amidst the interruption, a colleague humorously remarked, "You're making the ground shake!"
Lady Liberty was struck again, and this time she nearly stumbled. Live cameras from EarthCam stationed throughout New York City, including atop the Statue of Liberty, captured Friday's dramatic 4.8-magnitude earthquake as it unfolded in real-time.
On Monday, April 8th, a total solar eclipse will traverse North America—a phenomenon not witnessed in the United States for seven years, with astronomers predicting it won't occur again in the U.S. for another two decades.
Millions are anticipated to gaze skyward, eager for the rare chance to witness the alignment of three celestial bodies—the sun, moon, and Earth—partially or fully, depending on their location.
Amidst the buzz of speculation and conspiracy theories, one can't help but wonder: are these extraordinary events mere coincidence or something more? As the world watches in awe and anticipation, the mystery of these celestial phenomena continues to unfold, leaving us questioning what lies ahead.