A rapid sequence of four earth quake tremors struck Red River Parish early Monday, hitting within a 10-minute window and coming days after the state’s largest recorded temblor. The earth quake events were recorded between 5: 33 and 5: 41 a. m. ET on March 9 and clustered near the village of Edgefield, the U. S. Geological Survey said. Officials in Red River Parish say they will monitor conditions and provide updates as the situation develops.
Earth Quake swarm in Red River Parish
The U. S. Geological Survey logged four separate earth quake events between 5: 33 and 5: 41 a. m. ET on March 9. The first earth quake registered magnitude 3. 1 and struck about 2. 5 miles northwest of Edgefield at a depth of 3. 1 miles. Nearly one minute later a second magnitude 3. 1 earth quake occurred roughly 1. 9 miles north-northeast of the village at the same depth. A magnitude 3. 9 earth quake followed at about 5: 40 a. m. ET near 1. 9 miles northeast of Edgefield, and the sequence closed with a magnitude 4. 0 earth quake at about 5: 41 a. m. ET roughly 5 miles west-northwest of the village, all at a depth of approximately 3. 1 miles.
Two of the four events on Monday now rank among the four strongest quakes on record in the state. The cluster unfolded just four days after a magnitude 4. 9 earthquake struck within the same location in Red River Parish, which stands as the strongest temblor in the state’s history.
Local readings and a separate tremor near Coushatta
Preliminary seismic data also recorded a smaller event in the region: a magnitude 2. 5 earth quake located about 3 miles southwest of Coushatta at a depth of roughly 3 miles. While a 2. 5 magnitude earth quake is considered minor and typically does not cause structural damage, such quakes can be felt by people close to the epicenter, especially in quiet conditions or on upper floors of buildings.
Residents as far south as Coushatta and as far north as Minden reported feeling the recent shaking tied to the Red River Parish sequence, underscoring the geographic reach of these shallow earth quake events.
Reactions and official monitoring
The Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office said it will continue to monitor the situation while providing any new updates. The U. S. Geological Survey provided the location, magnitude and depth details for each event in the sequence and its preliminary characterization of the cluster.
It is unknown at this time if any damage, injuries or deaths have been reported following the earth quake series. Local authorities have not released additional damage assessments and continue to gather information as aftershocks and related activity are tracked.
What’s next: monitoring and public guidance
Officials expect monitoring to continue and have advised patience as seismic experts analyze whether the series represents a localized swarm or a return to baseline activity following the record magnitude 4. 9 event days earlier. The Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office will issue further public updates if new information emerges. Seismologists at the U. S. Geological Survey remain the primary source for updated magnitudes, depths and locations as the situation evolves.
All time references in this dispatch are listed in Eastern Time (ET); the Red River Parish sequence occurred between 5: 33 and 5: 41 a. m. ET on March 9. Readers in affected communities should follow instructions from local authorities and report any observed damage to local emergency management officials.
