3.4 magnitude earthquake near Hutchinson is Reno County’s third quake of the day

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake centered near Hutchinson was the third quake of the day to shake the ground in Reno County, geologists say.

The 3.4 magnitude quake struck at around 4:39 p.m. Wednesday just southwest of Hutchinson, according to Kansas Geological Survey reports. Two earthquakes struck the same area overnight.

The first was a 2.0 magnitude at around 1:14 a.m., and the second was a 2.4 magnitude at around 2:04 a.m.

The U.S. Geological Survey asks those who felt the tremors to report it online at earthquake.usgs.gov.

The earthquakes struck as the Kansas Corporation Commission investigates the cause of a swarm of 17 earthquakes in five days in the same area of central Kansas two months ago. The regulatory agency’s investigation is focused on the underground disposal of oilfield waste that’s been blamed for quakes elsewhere in southern Kansas.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

This story was originally published October 23, 2019 at 5:07 PM with the headline "3.4 magnitude earthquake near Hutchinson is Reno County’s third quake of the day."