Arkansas: 4 Minor Earthquakes in 2 Days; Monitors Deployed

October 19, 2009

After four minor earthquakes in two days in central Arkansas, the state’s emergency-management agency is deploying a pair of seismic monitors in the region temporarily.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the latest quake had a magnitude of 2.8 and struck about 7:20 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16, near Higden, about 52 miles north of Little Rock.

It was not immediately known if the quake was felt in the area. Earthquakes with magnitudes of 2.5 to 3 are the smallest generally felt by people.

It was the second straight day that small earthquakes were recorded in the state. Two small earthquakes rattled central Arkansas overnight Thursday and a third shook the area Thursday afternoon. But they were so minor that local residents felt nothing.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said Friday it was deploying two seismic stations to monitor the Cleburne, Faulkner and Van Buren tri-county area to try and find the source of the temblors.