The 2 a.m. temblor was felt "in much of central New Jersey," according to the National Weather Service. It lasted about 13 seconds.
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Shaking and loud bangs were reported, but no injuries.
Details on Monmouth County earthquake
Social media, mostly from central New Jersey residents, alternately reported they thought a truck hit their house, or a low flying plane, or even a sonic boom.
The epicenter was near the Monmouth County Sheriff's Public Safety Complex on Kozloski Road in Freehold, Sheriff Shaun Golden told us.
He said there was no damage to the operation center. Law enforcement will conduct a canvas during daylight hours to see if there is any damage, although nothing more is expected than belongings knocked off shelves.
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The sheriff's office received about 125 calls to 911 in about 30 minutes.
The earthquake, although small, is also relatively uncommon in the region. A 3.1 earthquake was reported in a 10 mile radius of Freehold in 1992.
And on Aug 23, 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in central Virginia shook buildings in New Jersey.
The state's Department of Environmental Protection has previously said the state is long "overdue" for a big earthquake, specifically one with a magnitude past 5.5.
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RELATED: Small earthquake hits Northern New Jersey in 2016
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