Cooter, MO – Residents in Missouri’s Bootheel region may have felt a light jolt early Wednesday after a small earthquake was recorded just north of Cooter, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The magnitude 2.6 earthquake struck at 6:50 a.m. CST about 1 kilometer north-northwest of Cooter, positioned near the Missouri–Arkansas state line within the New Madrid Seismic Zone — one of the most active seismic areas in the central United States. According to USGS, the quake originated at a depth of 9.0 kilometers.
The New Madrid Seismic Network, operated through the University of Memphis Center for Earthquake Research and Information, confirmed the event as part of its routine regional monitoring. While light earthquakes of this size typically do not cause damage, they are often felt by people living close to the epicenter.
As of Wednesday morning, USGS had received no official felt reports from residents, but the agency encourages anyone who noticed shaking to submit an entry through its “Did You Feel It?” portal to assist with seismic data collection.
Minor quakes occur frequently in the Bootheel region, which sits atop a fault system responsible for some of the most powerful earthquakes in U.S. history. Experts say events in the magnitude 2 range are normal and not indicative of a larger imminent quake, though they remain useful in studying fault activity.
No injuries, damage, or service disruptions were reported following Wednesday morning’s tremor.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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