earthquake frequently asked questions

oklahoma geological survey

 

Oklahoma Earthquake faq

 

What should I do if I feel an earthquake?
If you feel an earthquake there is generally little time to act.  It is best to take cover under sturdy furniture such as a desk or in a doorway.  Stay away from glass, and if outside do not attempt to enter a building instead distance yourself from buildings.  One common form of damage to occur is that some or all brick can fall off of buildings.
If there has just been an earthquake that you felt please go to the USGS “Did You Feel It” website this information helps scientists learn as much as possible about the earthquake you have felt.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/
The Oklahoma Gelological Survey also tracks felt reports in Oklahoma and we encourage you to also fill out the following form:
http://www.okgeosurvey1.gov/report.html
What is an earthquakes magnitude or Intensity?
An earthquakes magnitude is an estimate of how much shaking or motion is generated due to an earthquake.  Large numbers mean more shaking occurred than smaller numbers.  Magnitude is a logarithmic scale, which means that as the numbers get larger the earthquakes have much more shaking associated with them.  Magnitudes of earthquakes are related to the amount of energy released in an earthquake.  For an increase of 1 magnitude unit there is about 30 times more energy released.  Measuring magnitudes for small earthquakes can be difficult, and these magnitudes tend to be less precise.  An earthquake’s intensity is determined by gathering reports of damage and shaking from people.  This information is then compiled to generate zones of similar shaking for different areas.  For more information an earthquake magnitudes visit the USGS’s “Measuring the Size of an Earthquake”.