5.0 magnitude quake rumbles Oklahoma oil town of Cushing, nearby region

A strong earthquake has caused serious damage in the central Oklahoma oil town of Cushing, which is home to the United States’ largest commercial oil storage hub.

The Oklahoman has an extensive report on the quake which fails to mention that there is research linking quakes in the state to fracking.

The BBC, however, circled back to its earlier reporting on the subject when it carried the news of the Cushing tremblor:

There have been 19 earthquakes in Oklahoma in the past week, according to data provided by the US Geological Survey.

In September, a magnitude 5.6 quake in the state fuelled concerns that seismic activity in the area was connected to energy production.

In 2013, scientists linked the underground injection of oil drilling wastewater to a magnitude-5.7 earthquake that struck Oklahoma in 2011.

An immediate moratorium on fracking ought to be imposed in Oklahoma — and everywhere else — for safety and environmental reasons.

Sadly, in many areas, the right wing controls the government and has no interest in putting people or the planet ahead of oil industry profits.