Record tying Oklahoma earthquake felt as far away as Arizona, but bigger ones are expected!

Oklahoma earthquake damage in 2011

Oklahoma was hit by a record-tying earthquake:

Record-tying Oklahoma earthquake felt as far away as Arizona

September 3, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A record-tying earthquake in the edge of Oklahoma’s key energy-producing areas rattled the Midwest from Nebraska to North Texas on Saturday, and likely will bring fresh attention to the practice of disposing oil and gas field wastewater deep underground.

The United States Geological Survey said a 5.6 magnitude earthquake happened at 7:02 a.m. Saturday in north-central Oklahoma, on the fringe of an area where regulators had stepped in to limit wastewater disposal. That temblor matches a November 2011 quake in the same region.

An increase in magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes in Oklahoma has been linked to underground disposal of wastewater from oil and natural gas production. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MIDWEST_EARTHQUAKE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-03-15-21-15

September 3, 2016

An earthquake struck northern Oklahoma early Saturday morning, rattling houses and waking residents in the region around Pawnee, about 74 miles north of Oklahoma City. Preliminary measurements show the quake had a magnitude of 5.6 — believed to be one of the strongest in state history.

The quake was felt in five states, according to the U.S. Geological Survey: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. It struck just after 7 a.m. local time, at a depth of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). …

Public Radio Tulsa — where the quake was strongly felt — describes the scene:

“Police in Pawnee report some windows were broken and homes sustained damage to the the outside facade. There have been no reports of injuries.

“The quake struck just after 7 a.m on Saturday morning. It was nearly four miles deep.

“Social media was alive with people feeling the quake from Dallas to Springfield, Missouri. The quake was so strong in Joplin, people there were worried it was the New Madrid Fault in far eastern Missouri, the site of the United State’s strongest earthquake ever in 1812.”

A number of smaller earthquakes have hit northern Oklahoma in the past week — including one that struck the same area as today’s quake on Thursday, with a 3.2 magnitude. Since last Saturday, a string of similar quakes have hit an area west of Pawnee, including at least eight with a magnitude of 3 or higher.

In Oklahoma and other regions that are experiencing a spike in earthquakes, a consensus has emerged that they’re linked to the underground injection of wastewater that’s generated from fracking in oil and gas production, as Public Radio Tulsa recently reported. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/03/492517062/earthquake-rattles-oklahoma-one-of-strongest-recorded-in-state

Oklahoma was not known for being earthquake country, but apparently this is changing.

Perhaps this would be a good time to report about what is considered to be a major risk in the Midwest of the USA–the New Madrid Fault.

The New Madrid Seismic Zone (pronounced /nuː ˈmædrɪd/), sometimes called the New Madrid Fault Line, is a major seismic zone and a prolific source of intraplate earthquakes (earthquakes within a tectonic plate) in the southern and midwestern United States, stretching to the southwest from New Madrid, Missouri.

The New Madrid fault system was responsible for the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes and may have the potential to produce large earthquakes in the future. Since 1812, frequent smaller earthquakes have been recorded in the area.

Earthquakes that occur in the New Madrid Seismic Zone potentially threaten parts of seven American states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Mississippi. …

In a report filed in November 2008, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that a serious earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone could result in “the highest economic losses due to a natural disaster in the United States,” further predicting “widespread and catastrophic” damage across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and particularly Tennessee, where a 7.7 magnitude quake or greater would cause damage to tens of thousands of structures affecting water distribution, transportation systems, and other vital infrastructure.^[20]The earthquake is expected to also result in many thousands of fatalities, with more than 4,000 of the fatalities expected in Memphis alone.

The potential for the recurrence of large earthquakes and their impact today on densely populated cities in and around the seismic zone has generated much research devoted to understanding in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. By studying evidence of past quakes and closely monitoring ground motion and current earthquake activity, scientists attempt to understand their causes and recurrence intervals.

In October 2009, a team composed of University of Illinois and Virginia Tech researchers headed by Amr S. Elnashai, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), considered a scenario where all three segments of the New Madrid fault ruptured simultaneously with a total earthquake magnitude of 7.7. The report found that there would be significant damage in the eight states studied – Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee – with the probability of additional damage in states farther from the NMSZ. Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri would be most severely impacted, and the cities of Memphis, Tennessee and St. Louis, Missouri would be severely damaged. The report estimated 86,000 casualties, including 3,500 fatalities; 715,000 damaged buildings; and 7.2 million people displaced, with 2 million of those seeking shelter, primarily due to the lack of utility services. Direct economic losses, according to the report, would be at least $300 billion. …

The lack of apparent land movement along the New Madrid fault system has long puzzled scientists. In 2009, two studies based on eight years of GPS measurements indicated that the faults were moving at no more than 0.2 millimeters (0.0079 in) a year. This contrasts to the rate of slip on the San Andreas Fault, which averages up to 37 mm (1.5 in) a year across California. …

According to the USGS, there is a broad consensus that the possibility of major earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone remains a concern, and that the GPS data do not provide a compelling case for lessening perceived earthquake hazards in the region. One concern is that there is no evidence of reduced earthquake frequency over time, as would be expected if all present-day activity were caused by aftershocks of the 1811–1812 events; another is that the 4,500-year archaeological record of large earthquakes in the region is more significant than ten years of direct strain measurement. The USGS recently issued a fact sheet reiterating the estimate of a 10% chance of a New Madrid earthquake of magnitude comparable to those of 1811–1812 within the next 50 years, and a greater chance of a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in the same time frame.^[12]

In July 2014, the USGS increased the risk assessment for the New Madrid area. (New Madrid Seismic Zone. Wikipedia, accessed 09/03/16)

Jesus warned about a time earthquakes and troubles:

8 … And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be…troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

Earthquakes hitting places like Oklahoma are consistent with Jesus’ prediction that there would be earthquakes in diverse places. Jesus listed earthquakes as part of the signs that precede the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:4-21; see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017?).

The USA and many other parts of the world are at greater risk for earthquakes than most imagine.

Does the Bible predict the big one, an earthquake bigger than most geologists think possible?

Well, living in California, we often hear the idea that the “big one” an enormous earthquake will some day take place. In March 2011, when I saw “experts” discussing this, they indicated that it was not possible to have an earthquake along the San Andreas fault greater than about an 7.5-8.5 magnitude because of how the fault is laid out.

And while some in California might find that a little reassuring, the Bible speaks of a bigger earthquake ultimately coming. California and other parts of the world may have one or more “big ones” before this happens.

According to the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, the Lydia earthquake of 17 A.D. was the “greatest earthquake in human memory” (Keitel, E. “Tacitus and the Disaster Narrative”. In Kraus C.S., Marincola J. & Pelling C. Ancient Historiography and Its Contexts: Studies in Honour of A. J. Woodman. Oxford University Press, 2010, p. 335. ISBN 9780191614095). But a bigger one is coming, years after the start of the Great Tribulation.

The real big earthquake in biblical prophecy is the following one:

18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:18-20)

Notice that the above earthquake is so big that the cities of the nations will fall. Mountains will be leveled and islands “fled away” (more on this can be found in the article Islands and Bible Prophecy). This seems to be the biggest earthquake that will ever hit the planet with humans on it. Despite the view of ‘preterists’ that this already happened (see The Dangerous Rise of Preterists), that is nonsense.

The earthquake of Revelation 16 will be bigger than what the usual “experts” have believed was possible. It will change the planet and humble parts of humanity.

It should be noted since that apparently biggest of all earthquakes seems to take place near the end of the Day of the Lord, it probably cannot happen prior to 2021 (for more on why as well as dates, please see the articles When Can the Great Tribulation Begin? and Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

So, what about the ones happening now in places like California and Oklahoma?

These quakes should serve as assurance that biblical prophecy will be fulfilled and that all should believe the prophecies in the Bible. Including those prophecies that show that the kingdoms of this world will be replaced relatively soon. People should live their lives as if God does exist and that He does have a plan, because He does, and it will come to pass.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy Contains a cool up-to-the-hour update of earthquakes around the world from USGS. It also explains what did Jesus teach about earthquakes and how the Bible describes “the big one” (as well as when it is expected).
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2024 or 20xx?
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?