Quake near Herington felt over wide area

Felt from Salina to Emporia and Newton to Junction City, an earthquake of magnitude 3.6 struck at 4:33 p.m. Thursday northwest of Herington.

The quake was centered two miles west of US-77 and 1½ miles north of K-4 at a depth of almost six miles and was more than 10 times more powerful than a pair of quakes that struck May 1 in Marion County.

Reports to the U.S. Geological Survey indicate weak to light shaking was reported over a wide area, including in Marion County.

An earthquake of this magnitude generally causes little to no damage.

The Marion County quakes two weeks ago were magnitude 2.1 and 2.4. Quakes of 3.5 magnitude or less generally are not felt except in the immediate area. Only when quakes reach magnitude 5.5 or greater is damage likely.

Marion County has not experienced a quake of the magnitude of Thursday’s quake near Herington in many years.

Quakes in the region typically are blamed on settling of the Nemaha Uplift, a geological formation that either caused or was caused by formation of the Flint Hills.