Oklahoma's magnitude 5.6 quake comes amid concerns around oil and gas boom

A record-tying earthquake rattled Oklahoma and five surrounding states on Saturday morning.

The 5.6.-magnitude temblor near Pawnee, Oklahoma, is one of thousands to strike the state in the last few years.

State and federal scientists say the swarm of earthquakes in central and north-central Oklahoma is connected to the area's oil and gas companies, which are pumping copious amounts of drilling wastewater into underground disposal wells.

SEE ALSO: Here's why Italy is prone to devastating earthquakes

Oklahoma's Gov. Mary Fallin this weekend declared a state of emergency for Pawnee County after the earthquake struck on Sept. 3 near Pawnee, a city of about 2,200 people. Read more...

More about Wastewater Injection, Fracking, Prague Earthquake, Pawnee Oklahoma, and Oklahoma Earthquake Swarm

Source: www.Mashable.com