Residents of Red River Parish and surrounding areas received an unexpected wake-up call early Thursday morning when an earthquake struck near Coushatta, Louisiana.

The tremor occurred around 5:30 a.m. and was later measured as a 4.9-magnitude earthquake by the United States Geological Survey. The quake originated at a depth of approximately 3.1 miles below the surface and was widely felt across north Louisiana and beyond. Residents from Alexandria, Louisiana to parts of southern Arkansas and East Texas reported feeling the shaking.

Some residents reported feeling a smaller tremor about 10 minutes before the stronger quake, which many described as enough to rattle homes and wake people from sleep.

Historical data indicate the quake ranks as the second-largest earthquake ever recorded in Louisiana. The largest on record occurred offshore in the Gulf of Mexico on February 9, 2006, when a 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck roughly 100 miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Social media lit up shortly after the quake as residents of Coushatta and neighboring communities began asking if others had felt the shaking. Several reported items falling from shelves and walls during the brief but noticeable tremor.

The Red River Parish Library reported minor stress cracks appearing in sheetrock.

Officials say there have been no reports of injuries at this time, and the Red River Sheriff’s Department released a video to reassure people that all authorities are monitoring the situation.  

While earthquakes are relatively rare in Louisiana, experts say tremors of this size can still be felt across a wide region, particularly when they occur at shallow depths. At least 10 earthquakes have been recorded in the Haynesville-Bossier Shale area since December.