A series of earthquakes slammed Oklahoma Friday evening into Saturday morning, with at least two measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a 3.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at 9:37 p.m. CT near Arcadia, which is located immediately northeast of Oklahoma City.
As per the USGS and local ABC News affiliate KOCO, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake was registered about four miles west of Arcadia about 10 minutes later.
USGS further stated that this was followed by two lesser earthquakes of 2.7 and 2.5 magnitudes, respectively.
The earthquakes resumed on Saturday morning, with a 2.6 magnitude earthquake registered near Acadia at about 4:45 a.m. CT.
Another 4.4 magnitude earthquake happened about an hour later, this time near Edmond, which is slightly north of Oklahoma City, according to USGS data. This was followed by a weaker 2.7 magnitude earthquake around 6:55 a.m. CT.
There had been no reports of damage or casualties as of Saturday morning.
According to the USGS, earthquakes of 4.9 magnitude or below normally cause relatively minor disruptions and may be felt by many people who are indoors. Earthquakes of a magnitude of 5.0 or higher typically inflict damage.
The Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) reported “strong shaking in the immediate area and across Oklahoma City” as a result of the earthquakes on Saturday.
“Whereas most aftershocks are smaller than the mainshock, a very small fraction of aftershocks result in a larger earthquake than the main event,” the Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) stated in its press release. “The seismic hazard in the area remains high.” Citizens should protect items that could be shaken during powerful aftershocks and practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On in the event of a devastating catastrophe.”
The earthquakes were not as powerful as the most powerful recorded in Oklahoma history, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on September 3, 2016, near Pawnee in northern Oklahoma.
In March 2017, the Pawnee Nation filed a lawsuit in tribal court against several Oklahoma oil firms, alleging that the businesses poured wastewater underground, causing the earthquake.