Swarm of Quakes Hits Oklahoma

Swarm of Earthquakes Rock Oklahoma

A moderate earthquake early Saturday in central Oklahoma knocked pictures off walls and woke people and pets as it shook an area that stretched into Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas.

The U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site Saturday that a 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 2:12 a.m., with an epicenter about six miles north of Prague in Lincoln County. That's about 50 miles east of Oklahoma City and 75 miles southwest of Tulsa.

A 3.4 magnitude aftershock was reported at 2:27 a.m. from the same location, as well as a 2.7 magnitude aftershock at 2:44 a.m.

Two more 3.4 quakes followed, then a 3.6 magnitude temblor rocked the region at 9:36, according to the USGS.

"Oh, man. I've never felt anything like that in my life," Prague City Police Department dispatcher Claudie Morton told the Tulsa World. "It was the scariest thing. I had a police officer just come in and sit down and all the sudden the walls started shaking and the windows were rattling. It felt like the roof was going to come off the police department."

Morton said the office was flooded with calls, but no one reported injuries or major damage. She said residents told her that picture frames and mirrors fell from walls and broke, drawers worked loose from dressers and objects tumbled out of cabinets.

"We do have several damaged buildings downtown, but it's just cracks and things like that," Morton said. "Nothing is destroyed or anything like that."

Oklahoma Geological Survey researcher Austin Holland told Oklahoma City television station KOTV that the earthquake and aftershocks occurred on a known fault line.

Residents in Prague and Sparks felt an intense shaking, while farther away, the quake was more of a dull rumble, he said.