Number of Oklahoma Earthquakes Unusually High

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- With three earthquakes that shook the Metro Tuesday, experts say the frequent seismic activities are unusual.

All three were small, but felt by many.

A total of eight earthquakes have been reported in the Sooner State since the year started and experts say it appears we're seeing more recorded cases.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported Tuesday afternoon's three earthquakes that rattled the Metro ranged from 2.4 to 2.7 magnitudes.

The more people feel these earthquakes, the more often they are reported.

"These are small earthquakes and when they do occur in a populated area like Oklahoma City you're going to get more people who feel them," Kenneth Luza with the Oklahoma Geological Survey said.

Oklahoma averages about 50 earthquakes a year and experts say this is unusual to have earthquakes in the first three months of the year. Oklahoma normally averages about two a month.

"Our historical record of about 100 years indicates that there aren't any large earthquakes," Luza said.

At the Science Museum Oklahoma, that's part of a lesson they try to teach at one exhibit; the possibility of a big quake are small.

"It's very difficult to predict if there's going to be that big one, but it would be very unlikely in Oklahoma with the frequency of our earthquakes and the magnitude compared to that of California, so it would be very unusual," Director of Oklahoma Museum Network Sherry Marshall said.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey is asking anyone who feels a quake to report it on their Web site.