National

4.5-magnitude Oklahoma earthquake felt from Dallas to Kansas City, USGS says

By Mitchell Willetts

Updated January 31, 2022 12:57 PM

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck Oklahoma on Monday, Jan. 31. U.S. Geological Survey

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook northern Oklahoma, but was felt by many across the state and beyond, the U.S. Geological Survey reported Monday, Jan. 31.

The quake was recorded at 11:10 a.m., roughly 4.5 miles northwest of the town of Medford, and 96 miles north of Oklahoma City, USGS data shows.

More than 3,200 people — from Dallas to Houston to Kansas City to Wichita — reported feeling tremors to the USGS as of 12:45 p.m. CT.

There was literally a 4.5 earthquake in Oklahoma this morning that I FELT. BRUH I THOUGHT I MOVED OUT OF CALIFORNIA EXCUSE ME???

Now I gotta deal with tornados, wind, AND EARTHQUAKES??
— Audrey Lennon (@theaudreyrawr) January 31, 2022

I'm fondly recalling the days when Tulsa World had an in-person newsroom on the 5th floor downtown and we would play the game "earthquake or the presses starting up?" #OKquake
— Corey Jones (@JonesingToWrite) January 31, 2022

Watching @KAKENews & while @FrankWaughKAKE is delivering our important forecast on the snow... he stops because of the #earthquake. I'm always nervous because we have a lot of heavy equipment overhead: lights & other things to make us look good on TV. #KAKEnews pic.twitter.com/9RpmNFSeHp
— Annette Lawless KAKE (@AnnetteLawless) January 31, 2022

The USGS said the 4.5-magnitude quake is “notable.”

A small cluster of less powerful quakes was also detected nearby. A 2.6-magnitude was recorded at 12:06 p.m., a 1.6-magnitude at 11:46 a.m., and a 1.6 earlier in the day at 7:21 a.m., according to the USGS.

The largest quake to strike Oklahoma was a 5.8-magnitude in 2016.

Earthquakes between 2.5 and 5.4 are “often felt, but only cause minor damage,” according to Michigan Tech.

This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 12:12 PM.

Mitchell Willetts

The State

Mitchell Willetts is a real-time news reporter covering the central U.S. for McClatchy. He is a University of Oklahoma graduate and outdoors enthusiast living in Texas.

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