Magnitude 5.0 earthquake shakes central Oklahoma

CUSHING, Okla. -- A sharp earthquake centered near one of the world's key oil hubs Sunday night triggered fears the magnitude-5.0 temblor might have damaged key infrastructure in addition to causing what a police statement described as "quite a bit of damage" in the Oklahoma prairie town of Cushing.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said it and the Oklahoma Geological Survey were investigating after the quake, which struck at 7:44 p.m. and was felt as far away as Iowa, Illinois and Texas.

"The OCC's Pipeline Safety Department has been in contact with pipeline operators in the Cushing oil storage terminal under state jurisdiction, and there have been no immediate reports of any problems," the commission's spokesman, Matt Skinner, said. "The assessment of the infrastructure continues."

The oil storage terminal is one of the world's largest.

The Cushing Police Department reported "quite a bit of damage" from the earthquake, but details were not available. Photos posted to social media show piles of debris at the base of commercial buildings in the city.

The Cushing Public School District has canceled classes today to assess earthquake damage.

Cushing bills itself as the "Pipeline Crossroads of the World."

Oklahoma has had thousands of earthquakes in recent years -- nearly all traced to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and gas production. Sunday's quake was centered one mile west of Cushing and 25 miles south of where a magnitude-4.3 quake forced a shutdown of wells last week.

The U.S. Geological Survey said initially Sunday's quake was of magnitude 5.3 but later lowered the reading to 5.0.

According to USGS data, there have been 19 earthquakes in Oklahoma in the last week. When strong quakes hit, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission directs well operators to seize wastewater injections or reduce volume.

A 5.8 earthquake -- a record for Oklahoma -- hit Pawnee on Sept. 3. Shortly afterward, geologists speculated on whether the temblor occurred on a previously unknown fault.