I couldn't sleep last night and was in bed reading. About 11:30, I heard what sounded like a strong wind outside my bedroom door which moved around the house and went down the other side. The cat looked up and I knew what was happening within a second. Cracking and popping. The last one was a 5.8. This one was a 4.5. I don't know if this crack was there before or not.
Remember, very few in Oklahoma have earthquake insurance. It is too high and the deductibles are 20%.
Damn frackers.
44 comments:
Oh, no. Fracking has really messed with your part of the country. Earthquake insurance sounds inhumanely high. :(
Yes, went from two per year average to thousands after fracking started.
Gosh, how scary Donna.
Please, please tell the British government about this. We are just about to give a load of money to American frackers so they can get a load of money back. I am serious - please let people here know, because sure as hell won't.
And even scarier there. The places that are 100 years old or older, are crumbled down. Imagine that over in the UK, where so many residences are old.
During this political season, I've heard several fracking supporters contend that there is no connection....the interviewers cited experts who agree with what you've been telling us.
Very scary indeed. xo
I wouldn't know who to contact, but the government or groups that oppose fracking in the UK, should make them do studies on the effects of fracking. As I told Pat, the buildings that are 100 years old all lost walls, roofs and steeples in the 5.8 quake we had a few months ago. Over in the UK, it would be disastrous on the many old buildings and homes. Just have to look at Italy to see how quakes effect old structures. I really can't believe the UK would consider such a thing with all the old buildings. Send me a link if you find one. They need only to contact the USGS (United States Geological Service) - a federal agency that monitors quakes around the world. They have stated that OK quakes are caused by fracking, not naturally occurring like the oil and gas companies and politicians tell us.
It is because our state's economy is based on oil and gas. Money talks in OK. The USGS has studied it in our state and has said our many quakes are caused by fracking.
Fracking causes serious harm and frackers are serious about disabusing us of that understanding. I was hoping Tom would tell you the crack can be mended by a bit of tuck pointing.
Me too Joanne. What is tuck pointing? Can you get it at Home Depot?
My daughter's house was deemed condemned, after a cave system had been disturbed, when they blasted for a new high school. It cost 150.000 in repairs to fix, and it was about one of fifty in her neighborhood. She sold, and bought her little farm, and is much more content than listening to those walls cracking each night ....
I knew that fracking couldn't be safe, and now it's showing the results.
~Jo
Tom, I sent a message to the editor at The Huffington Post - UK edition. Maybe someone will read it and pass it on to the right channels. The poisonous chemical laden water they pump back underground into wastewater disposal wells should scare them more than the quakes. The disposal wells are what cause the quakes.
Oh that is scary Jo. Southeast OK was coal mining country and there are abandoned mines everywhere. What a nightmare for your daughter.
Tom, see Jo's comment below. She is a Brit, though has lived stateside nor a long time, but I think her daughter lives in TN. It is everywhere.
Lot of quakes in Umbria, Italy over the last three weeks. Strongest 6.6, and not due to fracking. Over 300 killed and tens of thousands homeless now living in tents and containers. Scenes of real devastation. Cathedral of St. Benedetto laid flat. It looks like a war zone.
Yes Gwil. I've seen the devastation in both of those latest quakes. That is what happens to old structures. It is the reason I am so surprised that the UK would consider fracking there with all of the historical old buildings not to mention homes. Make sure and read Jo's comment too. The USGS has said their concern is that ancient, inactive faults will become active due to all the quakes.
not satisfied by polluting the air, water, and dirt, now they want to pulverize the planets innards.
We are aware of the consequences of fracking in the UK but unfortunately the government is trying to ignore the warnings and wants it to go ahead. I went to a very interesting talk run by Friends of the Earth last year explaining the consequences. It's the first time I have seen any bloggers in the USA mention it. Is it widespread in your state and has it been an election issue? Sarah X
Donna, at my advanced age, I am now believing that money talks everywhere, although it doesn't really speak my language. xo
Sorry to hear you have had another quake. What will these companies do after the planet is ruined?
I had heard about the water issues, but did not know about the quakes. That's awful. -Jenn
I'm in Missouri. It's terrible that fracking has been allowed to continue in OK. It's sad for all of the people living there. I worry that all of the frack quakes in Oklahoma are going to set off the New Madrid fault. Besides that there are many other fault lines running through Missouri. We as citizens seem to have absolutely no power or say so when it comes to all of the things that the oil companies are allowed to get away with. Apparently, money talks way louder than all of voter voices do.
I hope the people in the UK have good luck stopping the fracking before the frackers get a foot hold in there too. After seeing what is happening in Oklahoma, how can they continue to get away with fracking there? Oh, that's right, that talking money is drowning out any scientific information or sensible reasoning. So many things in this country are seeming so out of control right now.
Tuck pointing is when damaged cement between the bricks on your house is redone. The crumbled or cracked cement is chiseled out and then redone with fresh cement. There are companies that do that. I don't think it is a Home Depot thing.
Can you believe they don't have to disclose what is in the wastewater? The politicians must threaten the EPA that they'll be shut down if they report it.
Well, Sarah I am glad that at least they know what is going on with fracking in the UK. They slipped it by us before we knew anything about it. Glad your environmental groups are on it. It is widespread in our state, with millions of gallons of the disposal water being injected back deep in the earth. We even take shipments of others states poisoned water to inject. It's the lifeblood of our state's economy and with the collapse of oil and gas prices our state is hurting and I guess have made a deal with the devil.
Go to Mars maybe. Or Patagonia. Somewhere far away from here.
Yes, it is very scary that we have surpassed California in quakes in a state that previously didn't have them.
Thank you for the info Susie. The first quake a few weeks ago, the 5.8 one, was big and loud and shook hard and my first thought was, I think the New Madrid fault just ruptured. It was only fifty miles from the city house. That fault is overdue, and with all the population growth, I worry too about it happening in our time. It will cause damage over a wide geographic area. Yes, we don't get a say here. Our state depends on it and there are thousands of those wells. I hope the UK will rise up and be vocal before it get a hold there. If you saw Italy's devastation with their old buildings, I would think the UK would ban it. I think they did in Connecticut.
Reminds me of the song, no where to run, no where to hide.
Several of our States, with money as the motivator, are seriously considering fracking. There is opposition, but money shouts very, very loudly.
I am so sorry you have had another quake. And will more than likely continue to experience them.
I can not believe this happened again. What the hell !
When I lived in Laguna Beach we knew/history about quakes but not you.
What a huge mess.
cheers, parsnip
Just one thing - don't show them the crack in your brick pillar, as they would only point out that the corner bricks are not bonded and have a straight joint from top to bottom - something which would not be allowed here, even if the bricks only clad a steel beam!
I've been up Vesuvius. There was smoke in the crater. The official view: no problem, all is ok.
I don't know why Britain can't harness the rise and fall of the tides to produce power. I don't think there's any town in the country more than 120 miles from the coast. I think they are going to build the first one in Swansea. So at least something may constructive be happening.
Yes Child. As I said, they slipped it by us when it was new, before anyone knew of the damage it would cause. Then questions arose about what heavy metals and toxins were in the disposal water and found they didn't have to tell us. Politicians and lobbyists lined their pockets and the poor homeowners just have to worry about it all on their own. I can't wait for the first class action lawsuits to start. I'll be on that list.
No buildings in OK have been built to earthquake standards. Not even in Missouri, where a great quake is overdue. It will be terrible.
OMGosh. That is scary. How close are you to the fracking?
There are thousands of wells in OK. Some of the wastewater wells are right next to the backyards of $500K dollar homes.
I feel for you..:(
Thank you Monique.
Oh Donna ... how awful and how scary ..... one of the benefits of living in the UK but, if fracking takes hold here we shall be experiencing the same !!!! Take care and stay safe. XXXX
OH MY GOSH I guess I didn't hear about this.
I have earthquake insurance here in Missouri
It is awful Jacqueline. I hope, with your beautiful old buildings in the UK, that some group will get a moratorium on it until they can study it further.
I've thought about it, but a $50,000. deductible, not including the cost of the policies... it just seems too high. If I lived in MO, I would definitely get it. As for this last quake, they've closed down 37 wastewater disposal wells and put a ban in a six mile radius around the quake zone for fracking. After the fact of course.
The oil companies should pay for your insurance...it's the least they could do!
I agree and hope they have to someday. Thanks for stopping by.
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