An 2.7 earthquake shook Hillsdale, N.J. Tuesday afternoon, the USGS said. It happened shortly after 12 p.m. CBS News New York's Nick Caloway reported the ground rumbled in Ridgewood for about five seconds,

While earthquakes are relatively uncommon in the Northeast, the events highlight the region's ongoing seismic activity.

A relatively small, 2.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Hillsdale in northern New Jersey, according to the US Geological Survey.