Aftershocks from Saturday's 5.6-magnitude earthquake in Oklahoma are likely to continue for weeks or even months, the U.S. Geological Survey says, but rattled residents can expect them to decrease in intensity.
The USGS says dozens of aftershocks from the temblor, and a 4.7-magnitude foreshock, have been recorded since the 5.6 quake hit at 10:53 CT Saturday night.
The Oklahoma Geological Survey says the quake was the largest ever to strike in the state, topping a 5.5-magnitude temblor that struck on April 9, 1952.
Saturday's quake was centered about four miles east of Sparks, in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. The USGS says on its website that it has not been able to determine what fault line the quake occurred on, but scientists are focusing on the Wilzetta fault, which they describe as one of a series of small faults that formed in the area about 300 million years ago. If the Wilzetta fault did rupture Saturday, it would be the first time a surface-rupturing quake has been recorded on it.
All previous surface-rupturing quakes in Oklahoma have occurred on the Meers fault, in the south-central portion of the state, the USGS says.
Damage from Saturday's quake was slight, with The Oklahoman newspaper reporting minor damage to 12 homes and a buckling of U.S. Highway 62 near the epicenter in Lincoln County.
But the quake was anything but minor to one couple whose home sits near the epicenter. The chimney of Joe and Mary Reneau's home came crashing through their roof in Prague, Oklahoma, CNN affiliate KJRH-TV reported.
"Wham! It wasn't just a sudden bang,” Joe Reneau told KJRH. “This house was rocking and rolling."
But it wasn't just people that the quake stirred up. Birds and bugs were so rattled that they took to flight in massive numbers, enough to show up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather radar, CNN affiliate KTUL-TV reported. Check out the radar images here.
The end is near
cue thunder and lightning
Oklahoma? My goodness...there's no real fault line there. Oh. Wait a second. They do a lot of fracking in Oklahoma. Mystery solved.
Check your facts. There are indeed fault lines in OK. USGS.gov has a great website. Another location is the Oklahoma Geological Survey. Faults can be located anywhere, not just at the edges of tectonic plates. New Madrid, MO; locaiton of the largest earthquake in the continential US.
Strange more earthquakes in the southwest and other parts of U.S. not accustomed to earthquakes. There was one in San Antonio a few weeks ago. Just alot of earthquakes in past few years.
Yep
2012!!! Time to panic!!
Aaaarrruuugghh
Yes; it's the FRACKING, stupid. The Oklahoma Geological service knows it:
http://www.ogs.ou.edu/pubsscanned/openfile/OF1_2011.pdf
@ everyone:
No, she's not afraid of EQ's; she isn't happy about going to OK City.
She's been there before.
Does any one still play atari
@Sybaris:
My daughter's 30.
She's no drama queen.
She just doesn't care for that particular city.
mjluck:
AND??????????????????? we dont care.
Stacey: do you get knocked up when you GFY?
Drill baby drill........
my dad was lookin at a map of OK city I hope he will be OK.
This is terrrible!
My ex lives in heavner ok .Whatcha think the chances are,the ground opening up and swallowin her up.Ya think its gonna be my lucky day ha ha
Joe I say that to my wife all the time "nudge nudge say no more"
🙂
Half of the people here in OK think the world didnt exist 300 mil years ago. I must smite those that do!