A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck the New York City region on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, shaking buildings and surprising residents in an area that rarely experiences notable seismic activity.

The quake's epicenter was near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, the USGS said. No damage was immediately reported.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre initially measured the quake at 5.5 magnitude on the Richter scale.

The earthquake was felt across the region, including in New York City, New Jersey, northern Pennsylvania and western Connecticut, according to Reuters journalists and social media.

Charita Walcott, a 38-year-old resident in the Bronx borough of New York, said the quake felt "like a violent rumble that lasted about 30 seconds or so."

"It was kind of like being in a drum circle, that vibration," she said.