The state of Oklahoma, which witnessed US President Donald Trump return to the presidential campaign trail on Saturday after the coronavirus pandemic swept the country, registered an underground tremor in parts of Tulsa late on 20 June, with the United States geological society saying the epicentre of the 4.2 magnitude earthquake was northwest of Perry, Oklahoma.
The US Geological Survey said the quake took place at a depth of 7.9 km.
While there were no reports of damage, people took to Twitter and Facebook, not only posting about feeling the quake in different parts of Tulsa, but musing over the coincidence of an Oklahoma earthquake on the night of a Trump rally.
The earthquake was Mother Nature trying to shake Trump out of Oklahoma 😊
— dai (@dailencreek) June 21, 2020
Tulsa just had a minor earthquake. Must be Oklahoma's way of shrugging off Trump's presence. Good riddance. pic.twitter.com/S6MeG0GRQ0
— Gerry (@FromTulsa) June 21, 2020
Reports of an earthquake hitting Oklahoma an hour after Trump finishes speaking to a one-third empty arena.
— John Barron (@JohnBarronUSA) June 21, 2020
What’s the bet by tomorrow he’ll claim the quake kept people away.
Who had Oklahoma earthquake and Trump rally on the same day for your apocalypse bingo?
— Danielle Genest 🎵 (@DGListens2Stuff) June 21, 2020
Earthquake in Oklahoma? On the night of Trump’s rally? God I see what you’re doing. 🤣🤣😂🤣 https://t.co/D5GeGnlcfy
— Black. ✊🏽 (@CrownMePhD2) June 21, 2020
God is with Trump🙏. There was just an earthquake in Oklahoma. You can’t make this up. https://t.co/ywAKfho6SA
— 🇺🇸ProLife&ChildAbuseSurvivor🇺🇸 (@PLCASurvive00) June 21, 2020
An earthquake in Oklahoma the same night Trump is there? Well, God don't like ugly.
— Joss (@jossontw) June 21, 2020A 4.4 magnitude earthquake near Perry Oklahoma, after President Trump wraps up a colossal rally? He and the Land are ONE! He truly is our King Arthur!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Mark (@ProudInfidel68) June 21, 2020
On the eve of the Oklahoma campaign rally, Donald Trump had promised his supporters a "wild evening", and insisted that it was time "to get back to living our lives".
Trump's rally had originally been planned for Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the freeing of black slaves in the US, but was postponed one day after widespread criticism.
The event came against the backdrop of violent protests against racism and police brutality triggered by the death of African-American former convict George Floyd.
On Friday, Trump tweeted to protesters ahead of his Saturday rally, vowing "a much different scene" to such hotspots of unrest as New York or Minneapolis.
Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Oklahoma please understand, you will not be treated like you have been in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis. It will be a much different scene!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
The country is also still dealing with the coronavirus epidemic, with Trump facing criticism for holding the rally in Oklahoma, as the state has registered a surge in cases of the respiratory virus.
