5.6 Magnitude earthquake hits Oklahoma

A strong earthquake struck early today in Oklahoma, where the incidence of temblors has been on the rise amid a boom in controversial hydraulic fracturing to release oil and natural gas.

The US Geological Survey said the 5.6-magnitude quake hit at 1202 GMT (8.02 pm Singapore time) near Pawnee, a city in the northeastern part of the state. The quake was felt in seven states, from Texas to Iowa.