Strong earthquake rattles Oklahoma

A 5.0 magnitude earthquake Sunday located near Cushing, Okla., home of a massive oil storage facility, could be felt as far away as Dallas and Little Rock, Ark.

CUSHING, Okla. —A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has shaken central Oklahoma, causing damage to some structures.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake struck at 7:44 p.m. CST, with an epicenter located near Cushing, about 50 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

The quake was felt as far away as Dallas, Kansas City and Little Rock, Ark.

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

Cushing, which has a population of about 7,900, bills itself as the “Pipeline Crossroads of the World.” It is home to the Cushing Tank Farm, a massive oil storage facility that’s touted as the world’s largest.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported that its Pipeline Safety Department has been in contact with pipeline operators at the facility and that there have been no immediate reports of any problems from the earthquake.

They said the assessment of the infrastructure continues.

Scientists have linked Oklahoma’s sharp increase in earthquakes to the underground disposal of wastewater from oil and gas production.