M4.2 Earthquake 5 km WNW of Lucien, Oklahoma — February 5, 2021
2021-02-05 17:48:45 UTC (2021-02-05) · approx. 10:48 AM UTC-7 local
Felt by 320 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.6 (moderate).
On February 5, 2021 at 17:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 5 km WNW of Lucien, Oklahoma, at a depth of 6.7 km and coordinates 36.2890°, -97.5158°. The earthquake was reported felt by 320 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.6 (moderate). This earthquake was detected by 89 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 476, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Oklahoma, a region characterized by induced seismicity from high-volume wastewater injection into the Arbuckle Group formation, which reactivates ancient basement faults. View all earthquakes in Oklahoma.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 4.6 (moderate), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Mild shaking, similar to a passing truck. Hanging objects swing. Glasses and dishes may rattle. Not commonly felt outdoors.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 320 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-97.5158°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Lucien, Oklahoma?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 5 km WNW of Lucien, Oklahoma on February 5, 2021 at 17:48 UTC had a depth of 6.7 km. It was felt by 320 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.6 (moderate). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.2890°, -97.5158°, which is 5 km WNW of Lucien, Oklahoma. View all earthquakes in Oklahoma.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Oklahoma had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Oklahoma was the M5.8 Pawnee earthquake of September 3, 2016. Today's magnitude 4.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ok2021cnhw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 5, 2021). M4.2 Earthquake 5 km WNW of Lucien, Oklahoma — February 5, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ok2021cnhw/