Published: October 27, 2010 5:00 pm

Quake Felt in Alex

By Jeanne Grimes, Staff Writer

A magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred near Alex on Monday afternoon, said Austin Holland, a seismologist with the Oklahoma Geological Survey in Norman, who called the trembler part of Oklahoma's normal earthquake activity.  "We had it located just southeast of Alex and west of Bradley," he said.  "The only felt report we've received from this one was from Alex."

The nearest seismic station is about 20 miles from there.  The earthquake occurred at 3:53 p.m.  "The shaking I record lasts a lot longer than what anyone would feel," Holland said, estimating that this earthquake would have been felt for a second at most.  "We don't have a very good handle on the depth, so we assume a depth of five kilometers."

Although a U.S. Geological Survey website listed responses that the earthquake was felt in Alex, Edmond, Choctaw, Lindsay in Oklahoma and more than 200 miles to the southeast in Murchison, Texas, Holland was skeptical.  "I'd say everything except Alex and Lindsay was wishful thinking," he said.  "Oftentimes, we'll get someone in Canada who reports they felt an Oklahoma earthquake.  It's sort of random.  There are people who think it's fun to play with you."

There are more recording instruments in place in Oklahoma now than in the past, which is partly why there's an increase in the number of earthquakes reported--even those so slight as to not be felt.  "At the same time, we have a lot more felt earthquakes than ever.  This has been a strange year for earthquakes," he said.  "I don't even have a count this year, but it's more than 500, close to 600.  Of those, close to a hundred have been felt.  As far as the numbers, statistically we can't say the earthquake activity is out of the ordinary."

Although some have questioned a cause-effect relationship between oil and gas drilling and earthquakes, Holland pointed out the production has been ongoing in Oklahoma for a hundred years and there's "no science indicating a link."

Source: Chickasha Express Star