2 Small Earthquakes Rattle Oklahomans’ Nerves
Two minor earthquakes shook central Oklahoma, rattling nerves but causing no serious damage or injuries, authorities said.
The quakes were centered in the Del City-Midwest City area east of Oklahoma City. The first struck at 8:41 p.m. last Wednesday with a preliminary magnitude of 2.6. The second, at 12:14 a.m. last Thursday, had a preliminary reading of 2.7, according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey.
“The quake scared a lot of people,” Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said. “We had multiple calls about shaking homes. They thought it was some kind of explosion.”
Central Oklahoma sits over a subsurface geologic structure called the Nemaha Ridge and experiences up to a dozen earthquakes each year, said Charles Mankin, director of the Survey.
“These are fairly small earthquakes,” he said. “They’re mostly adjustments.”
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On the Net:
Oklahoma Geological Survey at http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov