Earthquakes pummel Crescent area

CRESCENT, Okla. (AP) – The Crescent, Oklahoma, area was the center of at least five earthquakes on Monday and a sixth at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

On Monday, the small town near Guthrie recorded a 4.0 magnitude earthquake at 12:49 p.m.; a 4.5 at 1:12 p.m.; a 2.5 at 4:07 p.m.; a 3.2 at 7:24 p.m. and another 4.5 magnitude at 8:18 p.m. This morning’s quake was a 3.1 magnitude

The larger quakes were felt in a broad area including Ponca City. Reports of feeling the tremors came from as far away as Wichita, Kan., and Weatherford, Okla.

Three other earthquakes also were recorded since the last Crescent tremor. A 3.4 magnitude was recorded at Perry at 3:11 a.m., a 2.7 near Moorland at 2:32 a.m. and a 2.7 near Cushing at 10:07 p.m. Monday.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office and officials at Crescent City Hall say there are no reports of damage or injury.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission recently announced plans to place more than 200 oil and natural gas wastewater disposal wells under scrutiny as it investigates whether they are triggering earthquakes in the state.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey issued a report in April saying it’s "very likely" most of the state’s recent earthquakes were triggered by the injection of wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations.