Small earthquake hits Hot Spring County

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Federal officials say a 2.7-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday night near the community of Magnet Cove in Hot Spring County.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports the earthquake hit three miles northeast of Rockport and five miles north-northeast of Malvern at 9 p.m. The USGS says the earthquake started about 3.1 miles underground.

Residents in Hot Spring County reported feeling their homes shake and hearing something that sounded like an explosion. Renee Preslar, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, says there were no immediate reports of damage after the quake.

Preslar says maps of the area show no fault lines. She said it was rare for residents to feel an earthquake of its size.