UPDATE: Mysterious shaking and loud explosion in Hunterdon and Morris Counties confirmed as a 2.2 magnitude earthquake

NEW JERSEY – The cause of the mysterious shaking and loud explosion Thursday afternoon in Hunterdon and Morris Counties has been confirmed as an earthquake.

The 2.2 magnitude quake, which occurred about 3:00 p.m., was centered about 3 miles NNE of Whitehouse Station in Hunterdon County and had a depth of 8.7 kilometers, according to USGS.

According to a post on the Tewksbury Township Police Department Facebook page, at around 3:00 p.m., the Hunterdon County 911 Center began receiving multiple calls reporting hearing a loud explosion and shaking.

The calls were from multiple areas within Tewksbury Township and not from any one location.

911 calls reporting the same were also received in Lebanon Township, Clinton Township, Washington Township, and Chester Township, the post said.

Police began checking our respective areas and were unable to locate the source of the sound of an explosion, officials said.

There were no initial reports of injuries or damages to structures in the area.