This weekend’s Midwest rumbles

Photo: Oklahoman newspaper, Jim Beckel

It has been, without question, of one of the strangest years ever. Not saying that means the end times are falling upon us or even the the new Madrid Fault is ready to give way, but news that occurred overnight can make one sure think that.

Original news accounts of a record 5.6 quake in the Midwest seemed frightening. That strong? Oklahoma? ..where the winds blow through the prairies? 

It happened late Saturday night, centered four miles east of Lincoln County.. 10:53 pm, and it lasted almost a full minute until 10:54 pm–45 seconds according to geological experts..

The other amazing factor in this earthquake is that it was felt in Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee and also in Texas..

Numerous local reports are now existent of buckled roads, cracked sideways, homes with large messes of broken dishes and shattered plaster.. and rattled nerves in a nation that saw a major quake in the summer on the East Coast that was felt all the way to Canada..

The other factor that makes the Oklahoma shake more alarming: Eight earthquakes have been reported in 24 hours now.. the US Geological Survey is still unclear of the source of the quake, since Oklahoma is not near a plate boundary..

According to a CNN report on the quake this morning, the shake has rattled Oklahoma to the point where a highway has buckled.. one person has been injured.