4.7 magnitude Oklahoma earthquake felt by residents in Texas and Kansas

November 2015 – OKLAHOMA – A 4.7 magnitude quake struck near Cherokee, Oklahoma around 1:42 a.m. The area is not prone to large earthquakes, but residents have experienced several quakes of similar strength in 2015, according to Randy Baldwin from the National natural disaster Information Center. But there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. A number of factors could affect how the public felt it, said Rex Buchanan, director of the Kansas Geological Survey, and a growing expert on earthquakes in Kansas. It was quickly followed by two tremors, a 3.1 and a 3.9, in the same area.

Oklahoma now has more earthquakes than anywhere else in the world, a spokesperson from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported. The earthquake was felt in Kansas and Texas. Geologists as well as state officials have positively linked high-volume wastewater injection wells to Oklahoma’s recent rise in quake activity. The USGS also recorded five more quakes in Oklahoma on Friday all rating between a 2.6 and 3.5 on Friday, including one about 13 minutes after the 4.7 quake.

The USGS has not reported any significant aftershocks since the quake hit. Still, thousands of disposal wells in both states are still in operation, which suggests that the constant seismic activity is far from over. Thousands of people took to social media, reporting the occurrence on Twitter and Facebook, describing it as a frightening experience. –News Telegraph