An earthquake estimated at magnitude 5.1 shook communities in at least five states Friday night.
According to data from the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred around 11:30 p.m. local time and had its epicenter near the city of Prague, in central Oklahoma.
Several people took to social media after the event and described hearing walls cracking and even a loud bang.
There were no immediate reports of damage in the first hours after the earthquake, but the USGS warned that the threat of aftershocks would continue for some time.
A series of earthquakes shook the Oklahoma City metropolitan area less than a month ago, the most significant being a magnitude 4.4.
According to initial estimates, Friday’s earthquake ranked among the four largest events to impact the Sooner State since 1900.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck the state in 2016 caused moderate damage in north-central Oklahoma, and studies linked the event to the injection of wastewater from oil and gas production.
The USGS has previously noted that many earthquakes in the Southern Plains have been related to human activities.
A series of earthquakes shook the Oklahoma City metropolitan area less than a month ago, the most significant being a magnitude 4.4. Shutterstock
The agency said fracking — the process of injecting water, sand or chemicals into the ground to break up bedrock and reach oil and gas reserves — can cause earthquakes and affect groundwater.
It is still too early to determine whether human activities played a role in the most recent earthquake.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn