The 'RHONJ' star speaks to ET about the estimated 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the Northeast on Friday morning.
In the wake of the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that jolted New York City, New Jersey and surrounding areas, ET's Rachel Smith spoke with The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga about her experience during the seismic event.
Gorga recounted the startling moments when the earthquake struck. "I was in complete shock," she described. "I was downstairs in my gym, working out all by myself alone in the house. Nobody's here today other than me and my dog, and the house sounded like it was being invaded. It was, like, shaking. The floor was shaking."
She continued, describing her initial confusion and fear as she heard what she thought was a stampede. "I have weights in my hands, and I was like, 'What is happening?' It sounded like my roof was shaking, the floor was shaking, and it really did sound like a stampede, like people were running, running, running. And I just froze 'cause I get nervous."
The 45-year-old reality star then shared her panic upon receiving a notification that her front door was open, leading her to believe someone might be entering her home. "I cannot believe it was the one day. Never, ever is it unlocked," Gorga exclaimed.
Reflecting on the event, Gorga admitted she initially mistook the earthquake for something supernatural. "I was freaking out a little bit ... and as I'm walking back down my basement steps to finish my workout, I'm like, 'Wow! Like, I've never experienced a ghost before, like, maybe that was a ghost.'"
Gorga said she was so scared, at one point she called for help, saying, "I am screaming. I'm running up the stairs. I have 911 ready to push. So I dialed it on my phone."
However, upon receiving messages from her Envy boutique employees reporting similar experiences, Gorga realized the true nature of the event. "So it's not a ghost, that was an earthquake," she said.
Gorga's husband, Joe Gorga, quickly reached out to check on her. "Joe rang, like, he rang my phone instantly within three seconds, and he was like, 'Did you feel that? Are you OK? What happened?' I was like, 'I am, like, freaking out.'"
Taking to Instagram, Gorga shared her ordeal, posting an image from inside her home and describing the chaos she experienced. Her daughter, Antonia, couldn't help but find humor in her mother's reaction, commenting on the post, “i'm laughing at the thought of your reaction right now😂😂😂😂.”
Per CBS News, an estimated 4.8-magnitude earthquake shook buildings from Philadelphia to New Jersey to New York City to Connecticut to Westchester, New York, Friday morning. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, 40 miles west of New York City.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout New York.
"My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day," she wrote on social media.
A number of celebrities immediately took to social media to react to the news -- even the Empire State Building reacted!
"I AM FINE," a post shared on the New York landmark's X (formerly Twitter) page reads.
The Today show's Al Roker shared a video on his Instagram page detailing his experience feeling the earthquake while working. "I've never felt anything like that before!" he exclaims in the video.
"Wow!!!!! Earthquake. As far north as Oswego, NY and as far South as Souther NJ," he captioned the video.
One Tree Hill alum Hilarie Burton responded, "Felt it all the way to the Hudson Valley. And my girlfriend in Connecticut felt it too."
Snow White star Rachel Zegler had a humorous take on the situation, writing that the Earth was "just listening to Cowboy Carter……. Shaking some a**…….. quaking fr."
Former Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel posted an Instagram Story saying she felt "the earth move under my feet."
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