Columbia University geologists head to NJ to study earthquake epicenter

READINGTON, N.J. (PIX11) – Life is returning to normal in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, days after it became the epicenter of an earthquake.

Pete Melick is the 10th-generation owner of Melick’s Town Farm, which sits about a mile from the epicenter. He’ll be looking back at the seismic event as a novelty of sorts.

“A little minor damage here and there,” said Melick. “We’ve had more damage in some wind storms than we’ve had from this.”

While the buzz from earthquake might be dying down, for some, it’s just getting started.

Long Island teacher was teaching lesson on earthquakes when earthquake struck

“We knew right away that it was an earthquake,” said Dr. Folarin Kolawole, a Columbia University geologist. “We were looking at ourselves and started screaming. It was amazing.”

Kolawole was listening to a student’s presentation on tectonics when the 4.8-magnitude quake rocked the region. He wasted no time – assembling a team of geologists, heading right from the university’s observatory in Palisades, New York, out to the epicenter, to hunt for evidence of faults.

One of their stops was the historic Col. Taylor’s Grist Mill in Readington, parts of which toppled in the earthquake.

“The goal is to take measurements of, say, hundreds of fractures that I can see and touch and take measurements on,” said Kolawole.

After scouring the area, even while only having two hours of daylight to work with, their trip was a success.

“We were able to find fractures and fault planes, ancient fault planes, in the bedrock that have similar orientations to the one that ruptured the earthquake,” said Kolawole.

Kolawale said more geologists will be back out in Hunterdon County this week.

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