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EarthquakesS
© unknown
A roar that sounded like a jumbo jet filled the air, and Reneau's red-brick chimney collapsed and fell into the roof above the living room. By the time the shaking stopped, a pantry worth of food had been strewn across the kitchen and shards of glass and pottery covered the floor.
"It was like WHAM!" said Reneau, 75, gesturing with swipes of his arms. "I thought in my mind the house would stand, but then again, maybe not."
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake and its aftershocks still had residents rattled Sunday. No injuries were reported, and aside from a buckled highway and the collapse of a tower on the St. Gregory's University administration building, neither was any major damage. But the weekend earthquakes were among the strongest yet in a state that has seen a dramatic, unexplained increase in seismic activity.
Oklahoma typically had about 50 earthquakes a year until 2009. Then the number spiked, and 1,047 quakes shook the state last year, prompting researchers to install seismographs in the area. Still, most of the earthquakes have been small.
© ANSS
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Oklahoma on Saturday night felt was as far as Wisconsin, U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Jill McCarthy said.
"We have had eight recorded earthquakes (in Oklahoma) in the past 24 hours or so," she said.
McCarthy is the team chief scientist with the National Earthquake Information Center in Denver, Colo.
A 4.7 magnitude temblor was reported early Saturday, followed by the 5.6 magnitude earthquake just before 11 p.m., which was the strongest in state history.
A series of smaller earthquakes was reported between the largest quakes, sometimes referred to as aftershocks.
© Google Maps
These following the strongest quake in the state's history - one with a magnitude of 5.6 -which rocked the stands at the Oklahoma State University game at 10:53 Saturday night.
It could be felt throughout the state and in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, northern Texas and some parts of Illinois and Wisconsin, said geophysicist Jessica Turner at the U.S. Geological Survey.
There were no reports in the hours after the quakes of any severe injuries or severe damage.
The quake jolted OSU's stadium shortly after the Number 3 Cowboys defeated Number 17 Kansas State.
"That shook up the place, had a lot of people nervous," Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackman said of the late Saturday quake.
Oklahoma has been shaken by a series of earthquakes, culminating in a 5.6 magnitude quake that is the state's biggest on record.
Earthquakes of up to 5.6 magnitude have shaken Oklahoma, damaging buildings and roads and sending a handful of people to hospital.
The first quake was recorded on Saturday morning at a magnitude of 4.7. The second came on Saturday night and is the largest ever recorded in Oklahoma, topping a tremor of 5.5 magnitude in 1952, according to the US Geological Survey.
In Prague, Oklahoma, where the first quake was centred, city manager Jim Greff said part of the town library's ceiling collapsed and a chimney fell through the roof of a home. There were no serious injuries.
© USGS
Sunday, November 06, 2011 at 03:53:10 UTC
Saturday, November 05, 2011 at 10:53:10 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location:
35.599°N, 96.751°W
Depth:
5 km (3.1 miles)
Region:
OKLAHOMA
Distances:
34 km (21 miles) NNE of Shawnee, Oklahoma
63 km (39 miles) SSE of Stillwater, Oklahoma
68 km (42 miles) ESE of Guthrie, Oklahoma
71 km (44 miles) ENE of OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma
Multiple earthquakes shook much of central Oklahoma early Saturday, rousing people from their sleep. It was felt as far away as Pleasant Hill, Mo.
A 4.7 magnitude earthquake rattled homes across central Oklahoma early Saturday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the initial quake was centered about six miles north of Prague about 2:12 a.m.
That quake was followed by a series of aftershocks. A 3.4 magnitude aftershock was felt moments later followed by another 2.7 magnitude aftershock about five miles southeast of Sparks. Sparks is east of the metro area in Lincoln County.
And those aftershocks continued as a 3.6 magnitude quake struck about 8:36 a.m., also centered about two miles southeast of Sparks.
The National Weather Service in Norman said via its Facebook page the earthquake was felt in Norman and also as far away as weather offices in Topeka, Kan., and Pleasant Hill, Mo.
A 4.7 magnitude earthquake rattled homes across central Oklahoma early Saturday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the initial quake was centered about six miles north of Prague about 2:12 a.m.
That quake was followed by a series of aftershocks. A 3.4 magnitude aftershock was felt moments later followed by another 2.7 magnitude aftershock about five miles southeast of Sparks. Sparks is east of the metro area in Lincoln County.
And those aftershocks continued as a 3.6 magnitude quake struck about 8:36 a.m., also centered about two miles southeast of Sparks.
The National Weather Service in Norman said via its Facebook page the earthquake was felt in Norman and also as far away as weather offices in Topeka, Kan., and Pleasant Hill, Mo.
© redOrbit
The latest aftershock came at 2:44 a.m. and was a 2.7-magnitude quake, according to the USGS website .
The epicenter of the initial quake was about 6 miles north of Prague, 7 miles east-southeast of Sparks, 9 miles west-northwest of Paden or roughly 20 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. The first aftershock happened in the same area, according to the United States National Weather Service office in Norman, which posted this message to Facebook at about 3 a.m.
© Getty Images
Needles at the U.S. Geological Survey jumped again on Thursday morning, when a 2.3 magnitude aftershock rattled Louisa County.
Geological Survey staffers said in a lecture this week they've actually recorded over 600 aftershocks following the August 23 quake.
Staff geologist and Mineral, Virginia resident Mark Carter lectured on the Virginia quake's aftershocks on November 2 in Fairfax. The lecture was also shared via the USGS twitter feed.
The geologist said that in central Virginia, seismic activity is "somewhat regular." However, the strength of the August 23 quake had not been seen in a century, and the damage has been unprecedented.
"It was a miracle that there were no casualties given the damage we found," he wrote.
© USGS
Saturday, November 05, 2011 at 07:13:57 UTC
Saturday, November 05, 2011 at 04:13:57 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 23.529°S, 70.400°W
Depth 27.3 km (17.0 miles)
Region ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE
Distances 22 km (13 miles) NNE of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
154 km (95 miles) S of Tocopilla, Antofagasta, Chile
177 km (109 miles) SW of Calama, Antofagasta, Chile
1106 km (687 miles) N of SANTIAGO, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Comment: SOTT wonders, of course, if all of the recent storm/earthquake/volcanic activity has anything to do with the close passage of the debris field of Comet Elenin as well as the presence of other comets/bodies in the solar system? Perhaps it is time to revisit the Electric Universe theory?