by Wesley Harris
A 4.9-magnitude earthquake briefly rocked portions of northwest Louisiana about 5:30 Thursday morning but apparently caused no damage.
Several Lincoln Parish residents felt the tremors, including in Simsboro, Dubach and Ruston.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), three earthquakes occurred Thursday morning just northwest of the small town of Edgefield north of Coushatta.
In addition to the 4.9-earthquake, a magnitude 2.9 occurred 3.7 miles north-northwest of Edgefield and a magnitude 2.2-quake was located 6.8 miles west-northwest of the town.
Initially, the USGS rated the 4.9 magnitude quake at 4.4 Thursday morning but upgraded it later in the day after further analysis. The center of the quake was about three miles underground.
The USGS has recorded over 1,000 people reporting feeling tremors within a 75 to 90-mile radius of the 4.9-earthquake Thursday morning in northwest Louisiana and east Texas.
The agency’s records show Thursday’s event is the largest inland earthquake on record in Louisiana. This quake breaks the record of a 4.1 quake recorded near Donaldsonville in 1930.
An offshore quake measuring 5.3 magnitude occurred about 98 miles out from Grand Isle in the Gulf in 2006.
An earthquake in the area last week occurred on February 24 about 3.7 miles west of Coushatta. The magnitude 2.9-quake was measured at a depth of about three miles and caused no damage.
According to Red River Sheriff’s Office spokesman Captain J. Moseley, this is not the first time earthquakes have been reported in the parish.
“Over the past several years our area has experienced several small earthquakes,” Moseley said. “While most have been minor, an event like this is a reminder an earthquake can strike at any moment.”
“Right now, the most important thing is for everyone should to remain calm,” Moseley said. “Situations like this can be unsettling.”
The Sheriff’s Office noted none of Thursday’s tremors caused any reported damage.
The USGS predicts a 31% chance of an aftershock in the Coushatta area over the next week.
Minor earthquakes are nothing new to Louisiana, with occurrences documented back to the early 1800s but usually with no damage with tremors lasting just a few seconds.
Some historians believe a 1811 earthquake played a role in creating Lake Bistineau.
More information on recent earthquakes in the United States and around the world can be found at earthquake.usgs.gov.
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