Scientists: More quakes could hit Okla.

Oklahoma, struck by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake and dozens of aftershocks during the weekend, could experience more temblors, scientists say. The Oklahoman reported Oklahoma Geological Survey research scientist Amie Gibson said Sunday there had been a dozen temblors with magnitudes of 3.0 or higher since the main quake and 70 with magnitudes of 1.0 to 2.5. "They're all individual earthquakes. People like to lump them in. It kind of helps people understand the sequence of events," Gibson said. She said scientists can't predict earthquakes but she would be surprised if they abruptly stopped, given the amount of seismic activity during the weekend. "With the pattern we're looking at, I don't see it stopping anytime immediately soon. I'd like it to stop, but I don't see that happening right now," she said. The 5.6-magnitude quake Saturday night caused minor damage to 12 homes and a stretch of U.S. 62 buckled in Lincoln County, The Oklahoman reported. But no serious injuries were reported. A building on the campus of St. Gregory's University in Shawnee also was damaged. A 4.7-magnitude earthquake that struck at 2:12 a.m. Saturday was initially thought to be the main earthquake until the 5.6-magnitude quake hit that night. "We really hope that the 5.6 was the main shock because I don't want to see anything like that again, personally. It would be ignorant to assume anything right now, because who would assume that we'd have the two biggest ones in one day?" Gibson said. Before the 5.6-magnitude earthquake, a 5.5-magnitude quake that struck on April 9, 1952, had been the state's strongest.