Oklahoma Earthquake 2011: 4.7 Quake Rocks State
Only two days after three earthquakes rattled the state of Oklahoma, damaging homes and waking up sleeping residents, another 4.7-magnitude quake shook Oklahoma residents Monday evening.
Monday’s earthquake happened at 8:47 p.m. local time and no damages or injuries were reported from the quake.
This weekend, Central Oklahoma was rocked with several earthquakes that managed to cause property damage to roads and at least 14 homes.
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According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook the state on Saturday at 2:12 a.m. with an epicenter about six miles north of Prague in Lincoln County.
Minor aftershocks followed Saturday’s historic quake and experts warned that aftershocks could follow for months. However, experts predicted that the aftershocks should decrease in intensity.
The record setting earthquake came as a shock to many residents and The Weather Channel reported that buildings were cracked, roads buckled, and chimneys collapsed as a result of the tremor.
Radars caught birds and bugs as taking off in mass numbers due to the unusually large quake.
As residents recover from the minor damage produced by the earthquake, forecasters are warning that tornadoes could be on the horizon.
Although the state is considered to be in the core of “Tornado Alley,” Hector Guerrero of the National Weather Service told Abilene Reporter-News that discussing tornados this late in the year is quite unusual.
However, Guerrero warned, “We have a very unusual, very powerful system developing that could produce a few tornadoes, damaging winds and some large hail.”
Prior to Saturday’s surprising quake, the largest magnitude earthquake to hit the state was a 5.5-magnitude tremor back in 1952.
This year Oklahoma has been home to extreme weather patterns with the state setting new records for wind speed, hailstone measures, snowfall, and heat waves.
