Minor quake rattles rural area near Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A minor earthquake has rattled a rural section of Southeast Missouri in the Mark Twain National Forest.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor struck shortly after 5 p.m. Monday with a preliminary magnitude of 2.9 -- roughly the smallest magnitude generally felt by people.

The quake was centered about 15 miles southwest of Greenville, or 17 miles northwest of Poplar Bluff, the nearest sizable population center. No damage or injuries were reported, but several people in the region told KFVS12 their homes shook slightly.