Earthquake shakes Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. -- One of the strongest earthquakes recorded in Oklahoma rattled parts of five states Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-4.3 quake struck at 9:06 a.m. about six miles northeast of Norman, shaking portions of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Don Blakeman of the National Earthquake Information Center said the quake was felt up to 170 miles away.

Reports also came in from Arkansas, Missouri and Texas.

"We had a couple things fall off the wall here at the police department. We all ran outside to see if something hit the station or something like that," Norman police Capt. Leonard Judy said. Only minor damage had been reported through the city, mainly porches cracking or items falling off shelves.

KGOU in Norman reported that University of Oklahoma officials cordoned off Dale Hall, a campus classroom and office building, and people exited other buildings on the campus as well.

James Baxter, who lives in nearby Pottawatomie County was sitting in a recliner when his trailer started shaking.

"The stuff on the wall shook. The dogs took off barking," Baxter said. "I thought the world was coming to an end, to be honest. It was pretty trippy."

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake struck El Reno, just west of Oklahoma City, in 1952 -- the state's sharpest temblor -- and another struck in northeastern Indian Territory in 1882, according to records at the Oklahoma Geological Survey. Quakes of 4.4 magnitude struck Hughes County in 1939 and Coal County in 1997.