Earthquakes and Foundation Damage in Oklahoma

The short answer

If you felt a quake and then found a crack, it is natural to connect the two. Sometimes that is right. More often in Oklahoma City, the crack was already forming because of the clay soil under the house, and the quake just made you look.

This guide walks through what the earthquake record actually shows for central Oklahoma, how shaking damage tends to look compared with soil movement, and what to do about insurance. If you already have a crack you are unsure about, a photo is an easy way to get a second opinion.

Oklahoma's earthquake surge, by the numbers

We pulled every magnitude 2.5 or larger earthquake within 120 km (about 75 miles) of downtown Oklahoma City from the USGS earthquake catalog since 2000. There were 5,387 in total, and nearly all of them came in a burst that started around 2009.

The yearly counts tell the story. There were 31 in 2009, 187 in 2013, then 1,172 in 2014 and a peak of 1,409 in 2015. After that the numbers fell: 957 in 2016, 526 in 2017, 127 in 2019, 50 in 2021 and 21 in 2025.

Magnitude 2.5+ earthquakes within 120 km of downtown Oklahoma City

The takeaway: shaking near OKC is now a small fraction of what it was at the 2015 peak, though it has not gone back to the near-zero levels of the early 2000s.

Why it happened: wastewater injection

The surge was not natural. In April 2015 the Oklahoma Geological Survey stated it was "very likely" that most of the recent earthquakes in central and north-central Oklahoma were triggered by the injection of produced water in disposal wells. Produced water is the salty water that comes up with oil and gas, and it is pumped back underground for disposal.

The USGS agrees: it says the majority of earthquakes in Oklahoma are caused by wastewater disposal, and that only 1 to 2% can be linked to hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") itself.

Why it slowed down

Starting in 2015, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (the state agency that regulates oil and gas) ordered disposal wells in earthquake areas to cut volumes, shut in, or stop injecting into the deepest rock layers. In a 2024 release, the Commission said its Induced Seismicity Department had issued 33 directives, and cited research finding that requiring deep wells to be plugged back reduced earthquake rates by a factor of about four.

The USGS likewise credits regulatory action and economic forces for the decline in injected volumes and earthquakes.

The big ones

A handful of larger quakes are the ones most Oklahomans remember. All were well outside the metro, but several were felt across Oklahoma City.

Date	Magnitude	Location
September 3, 2016	5.8	Near Pawnee
November 6, 2011	5.7	Near Prague
February 3, 2024	5.06	Near Prague
November 7, 2016	5.0	Near Cushing

The USGS describes the Pawnee quake as the largest recorded earthquake in Oklahoma. The USGS also notes that multiple damaging earthquakes occurred during the surge, including the 2011 Prague event.

What our ZIP data shows

We also counted M2.5+ quakes within 25 km of each of 63 residential ZIP codes in the metro since 2000. No ZIP had a nearby quake larger than M4.5 in that radius. And the ZIPs with the most nearby quakes are not the ones with the most expansive soil. Arcadia (73007) had 1,553 nearby quakes and east Edmond (73034) had 1,264, yet both sit mostly on sandy, low shrink-swell soils. South Oklahoma City's 73159, which has the highest shrink-swell clay in our data, had 58.

That split is useful. If you live in south or west-central OKC and see cracks, clay movement is the more likely explanation. You can check your own ZIP on our foundation risk map.

Shaking damage vs soil movement: how to tell them apart

No checklist replaces an on-site inspection, but there are patterns. The USGS intensity scale is a useful frame: at low intensities, quakes are mostly felt by people, and only at higher intensities does the scale describe structural damage.

Damage that points toward shaking

• It appeared suddenly, right after a quake you felt, in a spot you know was fine before.
• Masonry took the hit first. Loose or fallen bricks, cracked chimney mortar and damaged brick veneer fit shaking. FEMA specifically tells homeowners to inspect the chimney after a quake.
• Things moved. Items fell off shelves, pictures shifted, or neighbors reported similar new damage at the same time.

Damage that points toward soil movement

• It developed over weeks or months, often worse in late summer and fall when clay is driest.
• Cracks open and close with the weather, narrowing after heavy rain and widening in dry spells.
• The house is out of level: sloping floors, doors that stick in several rooms, gaps over door frames, and stair-step cracks in brick near one corner.
• It lines up with moisture: a big tree near one side, a downspout dumping water in one spot, or a sprinkler zone that soaks only part of the yard.

Read more about clay and moisture in our drought and foundation guide, or run through the common signs of foundation problems. If you are not sure which pattern fits your home, the symptom checker is a quick place to start.

When an earthquake is a plausible cause

A quake moves up the list when the timing is tight and the damage looks new. A felt quake followed within hours or days by fresh masonry cracks, a damaged chimney, or a crack across a wall you photographed recently is worth taking seriously. So is damage that shows up at several homes on your street at once.

A quake can also widen a crack that clay started, which makes the cause a mix of both. That matters for insurance, so the more you document, the better.

After a quake, FEMA advises having a professional engineer or local building official inspect the structure, and checking the chimney, because even a few cracks that are not obvious at first can make the next fire unsafe. If you see a large new foundation crack, a leaning wall or a damaged chimney, getting someone out promptly is the right move.

Document damage right after a quake

FEMA advises documenting all damage inside and outside with photos and video before you start cleaning up. Good records help with an insurance claim and with any inspection.

1. Photograph every crack with a ruler or coin for scale, and include a wider shot showing where it is.
2. Write down the date and time of the quake and when you found each crack. The USGS lists every event with its exact time and magnitude.
3. Mark crack ends with a pencil and date, so you can see whether they grow.
4. Check the chimney, brick veneer and foundation edges from outside.
5. Keep older photos of the same walls if you have them. Before-and-after pictures carry weight.

Does insurance cover earthquake foundation damage in Oklahoma?

Usually not under a standard policy. The Oklahoma Insurance Department states plainly that a standard homeowner's policy does not cover earthquake damage, and that earthquake insurance is available as an endorsement (an add-on to your policy) or a stand-alone policy. Standard homeowners forms also exclude other earth movement, such as soil shifting, sinking or settling, which is why gradual clay-related cracking is generally not covered either.

Some points the Oklahoma Insurance Department highlights about earthquake coverage:

• Deductibles are a percentage of your home's coverage amount, not a flat $500 or $1,000. The Insurance Information Institute says they usually range from 5 to 15 percent.
• Exclusions vary. Common ones include masonry (brick) veneer and pre-existing damage.
• Insurers may impose a waiting period of 72 hours to 60 days after an earthquake before new coverage takes effect.
• Oklahoma homeowners can expect to pay roughly $50 to $300 a year for earthquake coverage.

Because pre-existing damage is often excluded, photos of your home taken before any quake can matter. Ask your agent how your policy treats earthquakes, including ones linked to oil and gas activity, and how it handles masonry veneer. You can also reach the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 800-522-0071. Our guide on whether insurance covers foundation repair in Oklahoma goes deeper. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to do next

Earthquakes near Oklahoma City are far less frequent than they were a decade ago, and clay soil remains the everyday cause of most foundation cracks here. Either way, the fix starts with the same step: someone who can measure your slab, look at the crack pattern, and tell you whether movement is ongoing.

If you want an answer about your own home, a local foundation specialist can take a look.