Local Residents Feel Sullivan Earthquake

U.S. Geological Survey experts report a 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit 14 miles southeast of Sullivan, MO, at 3:10 am Tuesday. The tremor occurred 3.2 miles below ground.

Wildwood resident Ryan Thomas reports that his bedside lamp was rattling for 10 to 15 seconds. "It woke me right up!" he said.

Three other Eureka-Wildwood Patch Facebook readers, Katie Gernstetter Hickman, Joy Dixon Westmermeyer and Deb Johnson Downs, indicated they, too, felt the tremor. A few other Patch readers indicated it did not wake them up.

The epicenter was reportedly less than 15 miles from the Sullivan exit off of Interstate 44. Sullivan is located in Franklin County, MO; it has an estimated population of 6,679.

Sullivan police reported the quake woke up the entire town. They reported that their dispatch received many calls after the quake hit, but everyone seemed to be safe.  No damage was reported.

On March 22, climatologist and former USGS geologist Jim Berkland warned that the Earth was entering a "heightened period of seismic activity that may trigger earthquakes" due to the closest approach of the moon since 1992. He also publicly stated a convergence of three of the most important tide-raising factors is a “seismic window” of additional stresses on the Earth’s crust that may trigger quakes.