Newark residents allowed back inside homes after earthquake damage concerns
NEWARK, N.J. -- There were concerns about damage to homes in Newark after Friday's earthquake in New Jersey, but residents will be sleeping back in their own beds.
Authorities said residents were evacuated from three buildings on Seventh Avenue and Third Street because the foundations may have shifted.
One of the three buildings still has no power, but residents of the other two buildings were allowed back inside Friday night.
Friday morning, resident Paul Cary felt intense vibrations to his multi-family home.
"It just felt like a lot of wind," said Cary. "I heard these rumblings. So I figured it was outside, I figured something was happening outside. So I didn't pay any attention to it, until about half an hour later. The fire department comes and says you gotta leave."
Cary evacuated with his two cats. Once outside, he saw his house was almost leaning into his neighbor's home. He said there used to be a foot or two between them, but now there's damage where the roofs are touching.
Watch Natalie Duddridge's report
Authorities confirmed three buildings on Seventh Avenue were deemed unsafe, prompting the relocation of 10 families, including 25 adults and three children.
Only one of the homes was deemed structurally unsafe, but it put the other two at risk.
Karina Cruz was jolted out of bed by the unexpected earthquake.
"This is my first time that I feel this," she said.
When she ran outside, her home on Seventh Street in Newark had shifted and the roof was damaged.
"Many different people coming and saying we supposed to go outside because it's not safe in the house," Cruz said.
"I live like for here almost 10 years already, and I don't feel any earthquake in New Jersey, only this one, very hard," neighbor Israel Yambo said.
Yambo felt an earthquake in Puerto Rico a few years ago, but never expected one in New Jersey.
"That one is 6.3., this one is 4-something, but almost the same," he said.
That sound rattled nerves across the Tri-State Area and beyond.
"I thought it was an airplane. I thought I was gonna die," Newark resident Chanel Vasquez said.
Homeless outreach services were deployed to assist the families, and by Friday night, several of the 10 families had returned home.
"We are happy because we can go inside of the house," Cruz said.
Those in the neighborhood were still shaken, however.
"We hope we can sleep good ... Because today was a long day," Cruz said.
Thankfully, no one was hurt.
