The View host Joy Behar left stunned as New York City earthquake alert interrupts live taping of ABC show

The View's Joy Behar and her cohosts were left stunned when an emergency earthquake alert sent out to New York City residents on Friday interrupted the live broadcast of the ABC morning show.

As Joy, 81, opened the latest episode, she joked: 'It looks like we're alive! We're alive and live from New York, where we just had a 4.8 earthquake,' referring to the incident which occurred at 10:23 a.m. and was felt in NYC as well as in New Jersey, Virginia and Philadelphia.

'Did you all feel it?' she asked the live studio audience as some replied 'yes' and some replied 'no,' which led her cohost, Alyssa Farah Griffin, to joke: 'It's like half and half!'  

As Sara Haines went to make a comment, the panel's cell phones started beeping really loudly as the New York City alert came through warning people to 'remain indoors' and only 'call 911 if injured.' 

The View's Joy Behar was stunned during Friday's episode when an emergency earthquake alert interrupted the live broadcast

Joy, 81, quickly passed her cell phone to co-host Sara Haines and shouted: 'Make it stop'

Ana Navarro read the emergency alert out live on air which told NYC residents to 'stay indoors'

Alyssa Farah Griffin (right) joked that only half the people in the studio audience 'felt it' as Sunny Hostin looked confused

As the hosts, including Ana Navarro and Sunny Hostin, quickly grabbed their cell phones, the television show went silent for a moment as Joy passed her phone to 46-year-old Sara and shouted: 'Stop it! Make it stop!'

As mother-of-three Sara attempted to close all of the tabs on Joy's phone, she remarked: 'Jeez, how many things do you have open?' 

Ana then put her head in her hands as she admitted: 'You need some tequila now! This is too much for me!' as Sunny replied: 'Aren't you happy you don't live in New York now?'

The ladies then went on to explain where they were when the earthquake took place as Ana revealed her pet pooch was 'shaking' and said: 'My dog started barking and running down the hallway like, "mom the earth is shaking, get your ass up and run with me".'

Sunny then said: 'Our offices are right next door to each other and I was listening to Beyonce and Jolene and talking to my fabulous hair and makeup team and I didn't feel a thing.'

Ana fired back sarcastically: 'Well honey, maybe because you have no feelings?' as the live studio audience reacted to her swipe.

'It could be that, or it could be because my room is anointed and protected and covered,' Sunny responded with a smirk on her face.

Joy then revealed: 'This is the third earthquake I've been in. First was in LA, the second one I was in The Bronx in bed with my husband and I said to him, "'I felt the earth shake under me, was it you or was it the earthquake?"' which had her cohosts in fits of laughter before she jokingly added: 'But I gave him a 4.8!'

Comedian Joy revealed that this was the third time she had experienced an earthquake

The emergency alert came through on cell phones about 30 minutes after the earthquake happened 

Ana made a swipe at Sunny after she admitted that she 'didn't feel a thing' in her dressing room

Joy and the panel asked the live studio audience if they had felt the earthquake

The emergency alert was sent out almost an hour after an unexpected earthquake hit the Northeast. 

'4.7 magnitude earthquake has occurred in the NYC area. Residents are advised to remain indoors and to call 911 if injured,' the alert read.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake, which the agency revealed was actually 4.8 in magnitude, was centered near Lebanon, New Jersey.

The Fire Department of New York said there were no initial reports of damage.

The epicenter of the quake was near Readington in Hunterdon County, according to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

The amber alert included a link to an article with safety instructions for when an earthquake occurs. 

A follow-up emergency alert was sent out at 11:46 am, updating New Yorkers as to what to expect.

'Aftershocks may be felt. New Yorkers can continue usual activities,' the alert said.

A 4.8 earthquake shook the densely populated New York City metropolitan area at 10:23am on Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said

The USGS article instructed those experiencing an earthquake indoors to stay in the building they are in.

'Get under a desk or table and hang on to it or move into a hallway or against an inside wall,' the post read.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said: 'All of us have felt in some way or another the earthquake that hit our city around 10.23am, we felt the impact of this 4.7 magnitude earthquake.

'This is a developing situation, we are always concerned about aftershocks after an earthquake.

'First responders are working to make sure the city is safe. Earthquakes don't happen everyday in New York so this can be extremely traumatic.'

He added: 'Our preliminary reports do not indicate major life safety or infrastructure issues from the earthquake. We are performing thorough inspections of critical areas.

'I encourage New Yorkers to check on their loved ones to see that they are fine. Not only for the infrastructure situation, but because this is can be extremely traumatic.'