Earthquake damage discovered at Wichita City Hall, Alford library (+video)

Wichita found minor damage from Saturday’s earthquake, city officials said Tuesday.

Damage has been found at City Hall and at the Alford Branch Library, said Joe Pajor, deputy director of public works and utilities.

In addition, one cap to one sprinkler was loosened at the Wichita Art Museum, said Teresa Veazey, public relations manager for the museum.

“It’s truly cosmetic and minor in nature at this point,” Pajor said of the damage caused by Saturday morning’s earthquake, which was measured at 5.1 and was centered northwest of Fairview, Okla.

A number of weaker aftershocks occurred in the same area later in the day, Pajor said. The tremors were enough for the city to activate its earthquake response plan.

City employees reviewed the dam at Cheney Reservoir, the city’s water plant, wastewater treatment plants, water and sewer lines and flood control structures, Pajor said. No damage was found.

Light poles and traffic signals also were checked. Again, no damage was found.

“By mid-afternoon Saturday, we found so little we decided to stand down,” Pajor said.

But cracks in plaster sheeting were found on the 14th floor of City Hall, which is used as a storage area and houses pumping stations for the building. More cracks were found in plaster sheeting at the Alford library at 3447 S. Meridian, he said.

City employees are checking for other damage as they go about their duties Tuesday.

“We’re expecting that it will be minor at this point,” Pajor said of additional damage.

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Earthquake damage discovered at Wichita City Hall, Alford library (+video)."