Seven earthquakes hit Oklahoma City area in three days
The Associated Press - August 4, 2017 9:49 am
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) – At least seven earthquakes have struck the Oklahoma City area in the last three days, including one that knocked out electrical service to nearby residents.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission says the quakes rattled the area from Tuesday to Thursday morning. Each had a magnitude of 3.0 or stronger.
Commission spokesman Matt Skinner says there are no wastewater injection wells in the immediate vicinity, but he says previous well activity may be the cause. Scientists have linked a dramatic increase in quakes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas to the underground disposal of wastewater from oil-and-gas production.
Skinner also notes there’s a fault line in the area. The area hit is about 15 miles (25 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City.
The strongest quake registered a magnitude of 4.2 Wednesday night. It knocked out two electric substations, leaving about 1,900 customers without power for about an hour. The most recent was a 3.3 magnitude quake Thursday morning.
No injuries or significant damage have been reported.