Rate of Earthquakes Rattling Oklahoma Increases

UPDATED

2,649 Earthquakes Strike Oklahoma in 365 Days

At least 2,649 earthquakes measuring 2.5Mw or greater have struck the state of Oklahoma and its border area with Kansas in the past 365 days, or an average of 7.25 quakes per day, compared with 812 events last year and 125 two years ago, according to the USGS earthquake archive.

The strike rate has increased from 6.7 earthquake per day, as calculated by FIRE-EARTH, just two months ago, on April 17, 2015.

The rate of occurrence for the year to June 2014 was 2.2 earthquake per day, our searches show, and [only] 0.34 events per day during the previous year.

Earthquake Location Map. 365 Days, 2,649 earthquakes on the map. Updated: 2015-06-12 at 15:48:28 UTC. Source: USGS/EHP.

Related Links

• Harold couldn’t give a ham about Oklahoma May 16, 2015
• Statement on Oklahoma Seismicity: OGS April 24, 2015
• Planet Oklahoma: Avg 6.7 Quakes Strike Each Day! April 17, 2015
• Ohio Finally Links Fracking to Earthquakes April 12, 2014

M6.0 Quake Strikes Off Tonga Trench

Strong earthquake strikes near Hihifo, Tonga

Centered at 15.685°S, 173.056°W, about 79 km ENE of Hihifo, the quake occurred at a depth of 41.0 km (25.5 mi), USGS/EHP reported.

Latest quakes in the region

M6.0, 79km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 2015-06-12 11:07:06 UTC, depth=41.0 km
M4.4, 67km NNE of Ndoi Island, Fiji 2015-06-12 04:47:59 UTC, depth=624.9 km
M4.3, 61km NE of Ndoi Island, Fiji 2015-06-12 03:37:51 UTC, depth=572.5 km
M5.0, 99km NE of `Ohonua, Tonga 2015-06-12 02:36:24 UTC, depth=10.0 km
M4.7, 21km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 2015-06-11 20:23:45 UTC, depth=37.5 km

Related Links

• Calbuco Volcano Finally Erupts April 23, 2015

• FIRE-EARTH ALERT: HEIGHTENED SEISMICITY and ENHANCED VOLCANISM in the Pacific Ring of Fire March 31, 2015

• FIRE-EARTH Forecast: Heightened seismicity in the Pacific Ring of Fire March 30, 2015

 

Drought Disaster Declared for Counties in Two States

Crop Disasters Declared for 9 Additional Counties across Oregon, Washington

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of nine counties in two states—Oregon and Washington—as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by the worsening drought.

The disaster designations are as follows:

• Oregon. Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman, Wasco, and Wheeler counties.

• Washington. Klickitat County.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,233 counties across 17 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington.

About 99 percent of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some counties may have been designated as crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on June 10, 2015 and posted on their website on June 11.

Related Links

• Drought Destroys More Crops in Idaho, Oregon, Utah June 4, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared in Nevada, Utah May 28, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared in 4 States  May 21, 2015
• Drought Destroys More Crops in CO, ID, OR, TX, UT May 14, 2015
• Drought Destroys more Crops in ID, NV, OR, UT May 7, 2015
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index