Oklahoma City Residents Lament ‘Scary’ Earthquakes As It Reaches 4.4 Magnitude
Oklahoma City experienced a sequence of earthquakes just as the week wrapped up, with the most significant registering at a magnitude of 4.4.
Residents of the state capital with a cowboy heart reacted to the natural disaster’s impact via social media, with some pointing out how terrifying the situation was for them.
Oklahoma City Residents Appear At Their Wits End Amid A Series Of Earthquakes
Oklahoma was hit by a series of earthquakes from Friday night into Saturday morning, with at least two of them measuring a magnitude of 4.4. The incident naturally shook the inhabitants of the city, leading one of them to take to social media to ask:
“Is it possible to have a snowstorm and earthquakes at the same time!?!👀👀 what in the fracking !?”
At the same time, a second resident disclosed, “Getting woken up by an earthquake is a different type of scary,” alongside Oklahoma City and earthquake hashtags.
“What’s causing these earthquakes?? They are loud and scary! #earthquake #OklahomaCity quake,” a third person shared, as a fourth queried, “Is it just me or was there just another earthquake or aftershock in #OklahomaCity?” The question received this response, “This is the second one!” prompting the original poster to write:
“Good god lol I only noticed the semi-big one last night and the one a few minutes ago. I’m originally from CA so I’ve been in some really big quakes, but it’s been years because I’ve lived in Mass for ages now. Didn’t realize these were such a frequent occurrence here!”
A fifth Oklahoma City resident typed, “Holy #earthquake just felt in #oklahomacity area (I’m in Edmond). You feel that???? #oklahomaearthquake,” a sixth expressed, “Earthquake at North #OklahomaCity I don’t I can continue sleeping.” A seventh added:
“I fell asleep to earthquakes and I’m waking up to earthquakes? What did that one measure? #okwx #OklahomaCity #Oklahoma.”
Similarly, this X user also pondered, “Another #earthquake in Oklahoma City. This is the 4th one I have felt in less than 12 hours. What is going on?”
The Earthquakes Were Not The Worst Experienced By Oklahoma City Citizens
As the situation unfolds, it is worth noting that at 9:37 p.m. CT, the United States Geological Survey [USGS] reported a 3.2 magnitude earthquake near Arcadia, just northeast of Oklahoma City.
Approximately ten minutes later, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake occurred about four miles west of Arcadia, as noted by the USGS.
Subsequently, the USGS reported two smaller earthquakes — measuring 2.7 and 2.5 magnitudes, respectively. On Saturday morning, seismic activity resumed with a 2.6 magnitude earthquake recorded near Arcadia at around 4:45 a.m. CT.
Approximately one hour later, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake occurred near Edmond, just north of Oklahoma City, while a smaller earthquake with a magnitude of 2.7 occurred around 6:55 a.m. CT. As of Saturday morning, there were no reported damages or injuries.
According to the USGS, earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.9 or under generally cause disturbances. They may be felt by many indoors, while earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater typically result in damage.
On Saturday, the Oklahoma Geological Survey [OGS] issued a statement noting “strong shaking in the immediate area and across Oklahoma City” due to the earthquakes. Per ABC News, the statement read:
“Whereas most aftershocks are smaller than the mainshock, a very small fraction of aftershocks result in a larger earthquake than the main event. The seismic hazard remains high in the area. Citizens should secure valuables that might shake during possible strong aftershocks and practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On in the event of damaging events.”
The recent earthquakes did not surpass the most powerful recorded in Oklahoma’s history, which was a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on September 3, 2016, near Pawnee in northern Oklahoma.
In March 2017, Pawnee Nation filed a lawsuit in tribal court against certain Oklahoma oil companies, claiming that the companies injected wastewater underground, attributing it to the cause of the earthquake.