Largest Quake Hits Oklahoma on New Madrid Fault
A magnitude 5.6 quake hit Oklahoma on New Madrid Fault Saturday, followed by aftershocks Sunday, damaged at least 14 homes but luckily no one was seriously injured. The earthquake which was the reportedly strongest earthquake in Oklahoma history was felt as far away as Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin. According to the Geological Survey, the largest earthquake previously recorded in Oklahoma was a 5.5-magnitude tremor in 1952.
Saturday night’s 5.6 magnitude earthquake was centered about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. More than ten aftershocks measuring at east 3.0 magnitude were reported Sunday, in the hours after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake took residents by surprise Saturday night. The aftershocks or mini quakes included two that were magnitude 4.0, one about 4 a.m. and one about 9 a.m. on Sunday. The smallest aftershock was magnitude 2.7. It is also reported that the aftershocks will likely continue for several days and could continue for months. However, the Oklahoma Geological Survey has given warnings people to expect more aftershocks. Oklahoma is typically the place suffering about 50 earthquakes and 57 massive tornadoes per year, but a burst of quakes east of Oklahoma City has contributed to a sharp increase. According to researchers, 1,047 quakes headed to Oklahoma last year, prompting them to establish seismographs in the area. Although the main reason for the increase is unknown, there was no immediate explanation for the weekend spurt in seismic activity. Furthermore, the quakes have been attributed to the New Madrid fault line which covers portions of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi has become more volatile in recent years.
The 5.6 earthquake hit about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City along with over ten aftershocks
At least 14 homes where beams in the roof snapped were reportedly damaged in the largest Oklahoma quake in decades
It is said that Oklahoma typically his roughly 50 earthquakes and 57 tornadoes per year
The major earthquake was followed by about mini quakes that were felt as far as 50 miles from the epicente
Oklahoma has had big earthquakes before including a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck El Reno in 1952 and a quake of similar magnitude 5.5 struck in northeastern Indian Territory in 1882