5.6-Magnitude Earthquake, Strongest on Record, Strikes Oklahoma

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It wasn’t just the Cowboys fans rocking the stadium after Oklahoma State’s 52-45 win over the Kansas State Wildcats.  A day of earthquakes culminated in the state’s strongest quake on record, a 5.6-magnitude temblor that was felt in all corners of the state and into parts of neighboring Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

The region is prone to earthquakes, as the New Madrid Fault has proven to be a volatile one in recent years. And Saturday was bookended by quaking for many Oklahomans, beginning with a 4.7-magnitude earthquake that jolted residents awake at 2:12 a.m.

(LIST: Top 10 Deadliest Earthquakes)

And at 10:53 p.m., the ground shook again. The 5.6-magnitude quake, strongest in Oklahoma’s history, was centered four miles east of Sparks, a small town 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

There were no reports of injuries or major damage, though homeowners did report many instances of structural damage. Emergency management crews said three separate sections of U.S. Route 62 buckled in the quake and a boulder “about the size of an SUV” broke free and tumbled onto a rural road in Lincoln County.

Residents report that the ground shook for more than a minute. Assessment crews were dispatched to check on those near the epicenter. “They’re reporting that all the houses look like they’ve been ransacked,” Aaron Bennett from Lincoln County emergency management said. At least one person was taken to a hospital in Prague with minor injuries, he said. The man, according to CNN, tripped and hit his head while trying to run out of his house during the earthquake.

The U.S. Geological survey reports 11 aftershocks were recorded overnight Saturday into Sunday. The strongest quake prior to Saturday was a 5.5-magnitude temblor that struck on April 9, 1952.

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