Can earthquakes damage Oklahoma homes and foundations?

Reviewed by Preston, Oklahoma foundation repair consultant · Updated 2026-10-14

In short: Earthquake shaking can crack brittle parts of a house, especially masonry chimneys, brick and unreinforced masonry walls. In Oklahoma, most earthquakes have been too small to cause damage, but the larger events of 2016 did. Unlike soil-driven foundation movement, shaking damage happens at the time of a specific earthquake, so documenting the event and the timing is central to evaluating it.

How does shaking damage a house?

During an earthquake the house is shaken along with the ground, and FEMA guidance identifies brittle masonry elements as the most vulnerable parts of a home ⁶⁷.

• Chimneys. FEMA describes masonry chimneys in wood-frame homes as highly susceptible to earthquake shaking, with older unreinforced chimneys that have degraded mortar the most vulnerable ⁶. Tall, slender chimneys are the most likely to break and fall ⁷.
• Unreinforced masonry walls. Houses built of brick, hollow clay tile, stone or concrete block without reinforcement are very likely to be damaged, and houses built before 1940 are often a concern ⁷.
• Foundations and connections. Homes that are not bolted to their foundations can slide off them, and unreinforced brick or stone foundations may break apart ⁷.

Previously damaged chimneys that were rebuilt to their original form remain vulnerable to future shaking, according to FEMA ⁶.

What earthquakes has Oklahoma had?

Oklahoma's earthquake rate rose sharply in the last decade, and the USGS links the increase to injection of large volumes of saltwater produced with oil and gas ¹. In the central and eastern United States, the number of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes went from about 25 a year (1973 to 2008) to a peak in 2015, then declined ¹.

Most earthquakes in the region are magnitude 3 to 4, which are usually felt but rarely damaging ¹. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates disposal wells, credits reduced injection into the Arbuckle formation with a drop of more than 90% in magnitude 3.0 earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2015, and it has issued directives cutting disposal volumes after later events, such as a 2023 magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Carney ³. For background, see induced seismicity in Oklahoma and earthquake claims and law data.

What is the difference between magnitude and intensity?

Intensity is different from magnitude: it describes the effects of shaking at a particular place, which the USGS says makes it a more meaningful measure of severity for nonscientists ⁴. The Modified Mercalli Intensity scale ranks those effects; its lower levels describe how people felt the shaking and its higher levels are based on observed structural damage ⁴.

How is shaking at an address documented?

The USGS "Did You Feel It?" system collects reports from the public and groups them by ZIP code to produce community intensity values that approximate the Modified Mercalli scale ⁵. The USGS notes that individual experiences can differ from a community's value because of local ground conditions and building construction ⁵. The Oklahoma Geological Survey maintains a recent earthquakes map and a reporting form for Oklahoma events ⁸.

What are the signs of earthquake damage?

Signs that appear with shaking damage include:

• fresh, clean-edged cracks appearing suddenly
• a chimney separating or leaning
• diagonal drywall cracks at openings
• vertical brick or veneer cracks

Many of these signs also come from ordinary soil movement. The page on seismic damage vs soil movement compares the two.

How is earthquake damage typically addressed?

FEMA advises inspecting the firebox and checking the support and anchorage of masonry veneer before chimney repair begins, and recommends lightweight metal flues in place of rebuilding a damaged chimney in its original form ⁶. FEMA also notes that building permits are required for this work and recommends consulting the local building department and a licensed engineer or architect before major repairs ⁶⁷. Where the foundation itself is sound, masonry and drywall repairs are cosmetic; see cosmetic repair only.

Related

• Induced Seismicity in Oklahoma
• Seismic Damage vs Soil Movement
• Chimney Separating or Leaning
• Insurance Claims
• North-Central (Red Prairies & Wheat Belt)