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It has been over two hundred years since the powerful New Madrid earthquakes.

Scientists now say that lull could end in the not-too-distant future. They expect a the fault to unleash a large scale quake within the next 50 years. That could cause devastation in seven states, including Illinois and Missouri and come with a price tag in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

 

Iranian state TV says at least 40 people have been killed by a major earthquake near the Iran-Pakistan border.

Press TV gave no further details on the extent of damage in the sparsely populated areas. But the quake shook buildings as far away as New Delhi and Gulf cities of Dubai and Bahrain.

Iran's seismological center said the 7.5 magnitude earthquake was centered near Saravan, a sparsely populated area about 48 kilometers (26 miles) from the Pakistani border. The U.S. Geological Survey put the preliminary magnitude at 7.8 and at a depth of 15.2 kilometers (nine miles).

The quake struck less than a week after a 6.1 magnitude quake hit near Bushehr, on Iran's Persian Gulf coast, killing at least 37 people.

 

   There are no immediate reports of damage after four earthquakes rattled central Oklahoma overnight.

   The U.S. Geological Survey reports that an earthquake and a series of aftershocks began about 1:45 a.m. Central Time with a magnitude 3.0 quake centered about 3 miles west-southwest of Chandler, Oklahoma.  

   That was followed a few minutes later by a magnitude 4.3 quake near Oklahoma City. US Geological Service puts the epicenter of the quake 7 miles east-northeast of Luther, Oklahoma, and about 29 miles east-northeast of Oklahoma City.  

   At 2:15 a.m. the ground shook again.  This time a 2.8 magnitude quake struck about 54 miles east of the capital, followed a minute later by a 3.3 magnitude temblor about 4 miles east of Luther.  

ST. LOUIS (AP) - For the second time this week, residents in southeast Missouri felt the rumble of a small earthquake. But an expert says it's nothing to worry about - small quakes strike in the New Madrid seismic zone roughly 200 times a year.

 

The U.S. Geological Survey says the latest earthquake was centered near Caruthersville in the Missouri Bootheel, a magnitude 2.7 quake that struck at 7:27 p.m. Thursday. There were no reports of damage or injuries.

 

Two days earlier, another 2.7-magnitude quake was centered near Portageville, Mo.

 

Steve Horton of the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis says the New Madrid seismic zone remains very active with small quakes. The New Madrid Fault Line was the location for massive quakes in 1811 and 1812.

A 7.4 magnitude quake has shaken Mexico City. Frightened workers rode out the quake. One worker said they didn't know whether to hit the floor or run outside.

The epicenter was 115 miles outside of the resort town of Acupulco, between Oaxaca where thousands of American travelers are in Mexico for spring break, including President Obama's oldest daughter, Malia, who is reportedly safe.

Several bridges have collapsed. One truck was crushed but no reports of death. Many captured the frightening moment on video.