FORT WORTH -- People in North Texas could feel aftershocks in the next few days from two minor earthquakes that shook the area Saturday night, a geophysicist said Sunday.
No major damage or injuries were reported.The first earthquake, measured at a preliminary 3.4 magnitude, rattled Irving at 11:05 p.m. Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.It was centered about two miles north of Irving, the agency's national earthquake monitoring center in Golden, Colo., reported.The quake lasted several seconds and was strong enough to be felt as far as 15 or 20 miles away."If someone was inside a home and close to the epicenter, there could have been things falling off shelves," geophysicist Don Blakeman said by telephone Sunday from Colorado.Generally, depending on soil, structures and how close a building is to an epicenter, serious damage could occur at magnitude 4.5 or higher, Blakeman said. Injuries might be reported after a 5.0 quake.A second earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.1 occurred about seven miles west of Dallas, the agency reported."That was probably an aftershock," Blakeman said. "There could be swarms of quakes later that are much smaller."The preliminary magnitudes of the earthquakes could be revised after more data is obtained, officials said."We felt a rolling quake in Grapevine," Ray Wall of Grapevine said by e-mail to the Star-Telegram . Wall reported feeling the quake at about 11:15 p.m. Saturday. "This was followed five minutes later with a boom sound and feel."North Texas has been rattled by a number of minor quakes since 2008.This report includes material from The Associated Press.Domingo Ramirez Jr.,817-390-7763Twitter: @mingoramirezjrHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
