Oklahoma's trio of magnitude-5.0 quakes this year is 'unprecedented,' boosts chances for another

Oklahoma’s collection of three magnitude-5.0 or greater earthquakes in this year alone is “unbelievable” and “unprecedented,” a U.S. Geological Survey scientist said.

Daniel McNamara, a research geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center, said Monday that Oklahomans need to begin thinking like Californians. There’s a “very high probability” for this level of shaking to continue for several years, he said, even if all wastewater injection were to stop immediately.

“Three magnitude 5s in one year is unprecedented in California, let alone Oklahoma — and Alaska for that matter,” McNamara said. “It’s just an incredible number of moderate magnitude-5-sized earthquakes.

“Especially given that the next previous one (in Oklahoma) was in 2011 and before that the 1950s. The recurrence interval is getting shorter.”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/earthquakes/oklahoma-s-trio-of-magnitude--quakes-this-year-is/article_38765045-2646-57f0-9b2b-e1e1ceaa9756.html

Disturbing stuff if you live in Oklahoma.