Earthquake: 5.6 Temblor Rattles Oklahoma

Nov. 6, 2011— -- Authorities are assessing the damage in Oklahoma this morning after the strongest earthquake in its history rattled the state.

Saturday night's 5.6 magnitude quake was centered about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

The earthquake came after a day of smaller quakes.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooton said there have been no major damage or injuries reported in connection with Saturday night's earthquake.

"Damage to walls and other damages on homes ... but not so much structural damage," Ooton said.

U.S. Geological Survey geo-physicist Jessica Sipala Turner said the quake is the largest ever recorded in the state, which is on the New Madrid Fault.

"It's in an area of the country that doesn't see earthquakes very often and so they're just not used to having the shaking, so maybe there are damages like things falling off the shelves and maybe some broken windows," Turner said.

Turner said the last major quake, a magnitude 5.5, hit the area in 1952.

Oklahoma resident Dustin Woods said he was startled by quake.

"You could kind of feel the house quivering a little bit and I think we all took notice of it, and dismissed it, and then it got quite a bit louder," Woods said. "You could kind of hear the glass and the windows rattling and we all paused for an instant, then I just said, 'Earthquake,' and we got a kick out of it."

Lisa Helm, a store clerk in Chandler, Okla., said only a few things fell from the shelves at her business.

"A couple bottles of shampoo and some peanut butter, that was about it," she said.

Turner said the temblor was felt "throughout Oklahoma, parts of Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Northern Texas and in some parts of Illinois."

ABC's Alan Scaia felt the earthquake all the way in Fort Worth, Texas.

"At first everyone was just surprised at what had happened and then people started to call friends and family they might have who are in Oklahoma," he said. "There was no real sense of panic or even worry ... just because earthquakes are just such a strange thing to happen in this part of the country."

ABC News' Sharon Reid and ABC News Radio contributed to this report.