(AP) – Federal scientists forecast that Oklahoma will continue to
have the nation’s biggest man-made earthquake problem but it probably won’t be
as shaky as recent years.
In its annual national earthquake outlook, the U.S. Geological Survey reported
Wednesday that a large portion of Oklahoma and parts of central California have
the highest risk for a damaging quake this year: between 5 and 12 percent.
Natural elevated quake risks exist through much of California, Seattle and the
area where Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Illinois come together, known as
New Madrid. Seismologists say Oklahoma’s problem is triggered by high volume
ground injections of wastewater from oil and gas drilling.
USGS seismic hazard chief Mark Petersen says Oklahoma’s recent regulation
wastewater injection is starting to work, so scientists slightly reduced
Oklahoma’s risk this year.
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