The U.S. Geological Survey says a series of sonic booms in southern New Jersey is what’s behind reports of loud noises and shaking ground heard and felt along the eastern shoreline.

The survey’s website says the booms occurred Thursday afternoon about two miles northeast of Hammonton. That’s about 30 miles southeast of Philadelphia and 30 miles northwest of Atlantic City.

The booms were heard as far as Long Island, New York, and Connecticut.

The USGS doesn’t offer an explanation for the source of the sonic booms, which is caused when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound. The group said nine booms occurred and were recorded over the span of 90 minutes.

No other information is available.

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