Three earthquakes were recorded in the United States in the early hours of Friday, September 22, 2023, according to the country’s Geological Survey.
The first occurred at 3:19 a.m. (local time) with an intensity of 2.9 degrees and its epicenter was 11 kilometers northwest of the city of Pawnee, Oklahoma.
Almost 40 minutes later, another event occurred at 3:56 a.m. (local time) with an intensity of 3.0 degrees. Its epicenter was also northwest of the city of Pawnee, Oklahoma and was one kilometer deep.
Two hours later, at 5:46 a.m. local time, the United States Geological Survey, or USGS, reported another earth movement, with the same epicenter in Oklahoma. This one was slightly stronger and had an intensity of 3.3 degrees, according to the entity.
To date, state and national authorities have not reported any damage to infrastructure or casualties caused by the panic caused by this type of natural phenomenon.
More earthquakes in the central USA
On Tuesday, September 19, quakes were also recorded in Oklahoma and Texas. The one in Oklahoma occurred at 5:30 p.m. (local time) with an intensity of 3.2 degrees.
Then the state of Texas presented one with an intensity of 2.9 degrees and its epicenter was 38 kilometers southwest of the city of Los Ybanez.
These earth movements are rare in these states in the central United States, which is why seismic activity draws attention.
Why can quakes occur frequently in the central United States?
Believe it or not, Texas lies on a geological fault known as the Balcones Fault, which stretches from the center of the state to west of the city of Austin.
However, other factors may also play a role considering that Texas and Oklahoma are major oil producing states.
Of course, it must be taken into account that earthquakes caused by fracking are usually of small magnitude, such as those that occurred in Oklahoma, and do not pose a significant threat to public safety.
However, the connection between hydraulic fracturing and seismic activity is an issue that environmentalists have brought to the table, as there are documented cases of large-scale tremors caused by this practice.
