ETOWAH, Ark. – An earthquake rattled a portion of the mid-South on Wednesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 3.6 earthquake about 12:45 p.m. CST, 3 miles northeast of Etowah, Arkansas. The town is situated approximately 50 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee.
The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management said authorities in Mississippi County found no reports of damage or human impact.
Although not as famous as California or Alaska for earthquakes, the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is situated in southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. It is the most active seismic area in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Every year, hundreds of small earthquakes occur in the NMSZ. However, most of them are too weak to be felt by humans and can only be detected using sensitive instruments.
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