(Rightallegiance.com) – Late Friday near Oklahoma City, a significant seismic event of 5.1 magnitude rocked the region, initiating a series of smaller aftershocks that persisted into the following hours, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This seismic activity prompted concerns among the local populace, though, fortunately, it resulted in minimal physical damage and no reported injuries.
According to Charlotte Brown, the Deputy Emergency Management Director of Lincoln County, the impact of the earthquake was largely confined to minor disruptions within homes, such as items being dislodged or toppled from their positions. “Nothing significant … nothing other than lots of scared people,” Brown articulated, underscoring the emotional toll rather than physical damage caused by the quake.
The earthquake, occurring at 11:24 p.m., had its epicenter 8 kilometers northwest of Prague, Oklahoma, situating it approximately 57 miles east of Oklahoma City. The tremors were felt widely across the state, with reports coming in from as far as Lawton, Enid, and Tulsa, indicating the extensive reach of the quake’s impact.
Following the initial jolt, the USGS recorded at least eight smaller quakes, with magnitudes ranging between 2.5 and 3.4, continuing into Saturday morning. The shallow nature of the earthquake, at just 3 kilometers deep, likely intensified the sensation of shaking, making the event particularly unnerving for those affected.
This occurrence is part of a broader pattern of seismic activity in the region. Notably, in January, the area experienced at least six earthquakes, two of which exceeded magnitude 4. Additionally, in April, a series of six quakes, including one of magnitude 4, struck near the central Oklahoma town of Carney, about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. The town of Prague was previously hit by a 5.7 magnitude quake in 2011, and in 2016, Pawnee, Oklahoma, recorded the state’s strongest quake to date, at magnitude 5.8.
Oklahoma has witnessed thousands of earthquakes in recent years, a phenomenon many scientists link to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and natural gas production activities. The Arbuckle formation, which includes the area around Prague, is notably affected by this practice.
Matt Skinner, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which oversees the state’s oil and gas industry, noted that the epicenter of the latest quake coincides with that of the 2011 event. In response to the seismic activities, regulatory measures have been implemented to mitigate the risks associated with wastewater injection. “That was one of the early areas where action was taken,” Skinner remarked, highlighting the efforts to address the underlying causes of the earthquakes.
In the aftermath of the recent tremors, the commission has mandated temporary cessation of operations for disposal wells within a 10-mile radius of the quake’s epicenter. Additionally, some producers have been instructed to shut down certain injection wells and to reduce volumes in others, as part of a broader strategy to manage and potentially reduce the frequency and intensity of earthquakes in Oklahoma. These measures reflect an ongoing attempt to balance the state’s economic interests in oil and gas extraction with the imperative to protect public safety and environmental integrity.