Cluster of Wichita earthquakes rattles south-central Kansas

WICHITA — A cluster of earthquakes with epicenters in east Wichita has rattled south-central Kansas, the strongest one about a magnitude 4.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the strongest earthquake as magnitude 3.9, and the Kansas Geological Survey pegged that same one, which occurred around 6:08 p.m. Sunday, as a magnitude 4, the Wichita Eagle reported.

The city of Wichita says no damage was observed at its buildings, nor at Cheney Dam following that large Sunday earthquake.

The quakes resumed early Monday with a 2.5 magnitude one striking shortly after midnight. It was followed later that morning by a couple quakes that struck within minutes of each other. The first one that hit at 8:54 a.m. was a magnitude of 3.4, followed five minutes later by one of 3.5 magnitude.

The shaking started early Sunday morning with the first 3.5 magnitude earthquake at 6:29 a.m., according to Kansas geologists. The second earthquake hit two minutes later with a recorded magnitude of 3.7. A third with a magnitude of 3.2 came at 7:02 a.m. It was followed by a 2.2 magnitude quake at 8:30 a.m.

People reported feeling the strongest quakes throughout south-central Kansas, with some reports coming from near Salina and Emporia.

The two highest magnitude earthquakes recorded in Kansas were a roughly 5.2 in Manhattan in 1867 and one of around magnitude 5.0 in Sumner County in 2014.

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