A sharp earthquake centred near one of the world's key oil hubs has triggered fears that the magnitude 5.0 temblor might have damaged key infrastructure in the Oklahoma prairie town of Cushing.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake, which struck on Sunday night (Monday AEDT), caused what the Cushing Police Department described as "quite a bit of damage".
The USGS said the quake's epicentre was located 1.6km west of Cushing.
City Manager Steve Spears said a few minor injuries were reported and he questioned whether some of the community's century-old buildings might be unsafe.
The quake was felt as far away as Kansas City, Missouri, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said it had been in contact with pipeline operators in the Cushing oil storage terminal and there were no immediate reports of problems.
The oil storage terminal is one of the world's largest. As of October 28, tank farms in the countryside around Cushing held 58.5 million barrels of crude oil, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. The community bills itself as the "Pipeline Crossroads of the World."
The Cushing Police Department reported "quite a bit of damage" in the town of 7,900.
Spears said some damage was superficial - bricks falling off facades - but that some older buildings might have damaged foundations that would be difficult to assess until daylight.
Fearing aftershocks, Police Chief Tully Folden said people needed to stay out of downtown, where photos posted to social media showed piles of debris at the base of commercial buildings.
The Cushing Public School District cancelled classes on Monday in order to assess the damage.
