Earthquake Rattles Midwest City, Okla.

Article

A small earthquake rattled the Midwest City, Okla., area Feb. 12, but no damage or injuries were reported, officials said.

The magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred at 12:33 p.m., 31/2 miles west of Midwest City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo.

At 6:16 p.m. and at 6:35 p.m., two other earthquakes occurred, measuring at 2.7 and 1.7 magnitudes, respectively.

Four smaller quakes ranging in magnitude from 1.5 to 1.9 were recorded between 3:23 a.m. and 8:09 a.m. Feb. 11, said Jim Lawson, chief geophysicist with the Oklahoma Geological Survey.

Lawson said it is somewhat unusual to have a magnitude 3.0 earthquake in central Oklahoma, but that it was not strong enough to cause significant damage.

“Maybe knock a few knickknacks off the shelf, maybe break a few, maybe slosh water in an aquarium or slosh coffee in a coffee pot, maybe knock a few pictures off the wall,” he said.

The quake was primarily felt in the area around Midwest City, Del City and Tinker Air Force Base, Lawson said.

An earthquake of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 is the smallest generally felt by people.

On the Net: Oklahoma Geological Survey: www.okgeosurvey1.gov.