The largest recorded single earthquake, rating 5.6 in magnitude, in Oklahoma history occurred on Nov. 5, 2011 according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey.
Residents have a good reason to take notice as many property owners reported damage to structures across the state.
Oklahomans are generally well informed and experienced when it comes to acts of nature like tornadoes, floods or even drought, but earthquakes are a relatively new topic of discussion, although they have been reported in Oklahoma since 1897.
One company is working to help Oklahomans by looking toward the future of earthquake prediction.
Earthquakes Warnings Inc. is a company centered on geological science and the idea that earthquake prediction is possible. In fact their current system located on the west coast has effectively predicted earthquakes before they have occurred.
EWI earthquake prediction uses changes in the ionosphere to determine an approximate time and location in which an earthquake will occur.
The ionosphere is the region of near space at 30 to 600 miles above the earth's surface. This zone, above the earth's atmosphere, is where free ions -- mostly electrons -- move in the earth's magnetic field.
Even though the company is relatively new and in the beginning stages of development company representatives took time to answer the following questions about the system.
The first 2.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded about six miles west northwest of Prague. The second was a 2.3 magnitude tremor whose epicenter was five miles south southeast of Sparks and seven miles northeast of Meeker. No injuries were reported.
Several small earthquakes have been recorded recently in the area, including a 3.7 magnitude quake near Prague on Thanksgiving.
A 5.6 magnitude quake, the strongest ever recorded in Oklahoma, shook the state Nov. 5. That quake damaged dozens of homes, buckled a highway and caused other damage.
Geologists say earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest felt by humans.
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