The temblor, with a magnitude of 2.0, struck at 1:19 a.m. and was centered in Ringwood, a community that's still dealing with downed trees and power outages from Sandy.
Geophysicist Jessica Turner at the National Earthquake Information Center says some people reported hearing a loud boom. Turner says those on upper floors of a home might have felt shaking or saw objects on walls vibrate.
"All of a sudden we hear this bang, and initially I thought it was an explosion," said resident Peter Laetsch.
About half the town lost power after Sandy.
"It's certainly testing our resolve, but we have things well in hand and residents have been great," said Scott Heck, Ringwood borough manager.
The quake was 3 miles below ground and could also be felt in Mahwah, Wanaque, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, West Milford and Paterson. Ringwood police say there are no reports of damage. Turner says the last earthquake in New Jersey had a 2.2 magnitude and was recorded in February 2010.
