Two earthquakes in 12 hours rattle area

Some Cape Girardeau County residents were awakened with a boom and a shake Monday morning, the ripple effect of one of two earthquakes that originated from Western Kentucky within 12 hours.

The first quake, which was a magnitude 2.7, occurred at 9 p.m. Sunday. The second, a magniude 3.9 temblor, took place at 7:21 a.m. Monday with an epicenter 23 miles east of Charleston, Mo.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey based in Jefferson City, residents throughout Southeast Missouri, including Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties, felt the quakes.

Dave Hitt, Cape Girardeau County Emergency Operations Center director, said conflicting reports came into his office early Monday morning. Some agencies reported the epicenter in Mississippi County while others named Southern Illinois and western Kentucky.

The National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., confirmed Monday morning that the quake was centered near Wickliffe, Ky.

Hitt said no damage has been reported locally.

"Various sources said they heard a loud boom in addition to movement. Most indicated they felt it," Hitt said.

According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., the depth of the earthquake was 2.2 miles, and tremors were felt as far away as 93 miles from the epicenter.

John Minch, a geophysicist with the National Earthquake Center, said he wasn't sure whether Monday's earthquake originated from the New Madrid Fault, based in the Missouri Bootheel.

Monday morning marked the third time this month Southeast Missourians have felt earthquake tremors. A magnitude-4 quake that occurred around 6:35 a.m. June 2 outside Dyersburg, Tenn., was felt in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Scott counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

cmiller@semissourian.com

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