2 Small Earthquakes Rattle Oklahomans’ Nerves

December 26, 2006

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