Texans Shook By 7th Biggest Quake In States History

No fatalities reported

Texans were rocked by a "notable" 5.1 magnitude earthquake—one of the strongest in the state's history—on Monday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

The quake struck in Martin County, about 21 miles southwest of Ackerly, shortly before 7:50 p.m.

It was initially graded 4.8 on the magnitude scale, with a depth of 3 miles, according to Texas channel KXAS, but was later upgraded to a 5.1 quake with a depth of 5.2 miles. Lamesa residents said their homes were shaking for up to 10 seconds.

Texas was hit by a 5.1 earthquake on Monday evening. Pictured: Residents gather outside homes that were structurally damaged by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake on April 05, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey. SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES

The earthquake was the seventh strongest in Texas history, local newspaper Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported. Newsweek reached out to the USGS seeking confirmation on where the quake stands in relation to others hitting the state.

The biggest quake ever recorded in the state measured 5.8 magnitude when it struck near Valentine in August 1931. The second largest, measuring 5.7, struck near Marathon in April 1995, ahead of a quake of 5.4 magnitude near Mentone in November 2022.

"Notable quake, preliminary info: M 5.1 - 34 km WSW of Ackerly, Texas," the USGS posted on social media site X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night. Several X users replied to the post, saying the quake had felt stronger than usual. "Felt it in San Angelo Tx," one wrote. "Biggest one I've felt." Another added: "Friend felt in Schertz TX. Knocked candles off of shelves."

The magnitude scale is a useful measurement used to explain the severity of quakes. Light earthquakes—with a magnitude of 2.5 to 5.4—are often felt, but rarely cause damage, while 5.5 to 6 magnitude quakes are considered moderate and may result in slight damage to buildings. Earthquakes of 6.1 to 6.9 are likely to cause major damage in highly populated areas, while an earthquake of an 8 magnitude or higher can totally destroy communities near its epicenter. The devastating earthquake in Turkey last February, which killed hundreds of people and decimated communities near the Syrian border, was a 7.8 magnitude.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries resulting from Monday's earthquake in Texas.

Newsweek reached out by email to the office of Governor Greg Abbott seeking further information and comment.

Texas has been seeing more earthquakes in recent years, which some experts attribute to fracking.

Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones told Newsweek that increased pressure near fault lines can trigger an earthquake. Pointing to a spate of quakes in the Permian Basin oil field (which sits mostly inside Texas but also extends into New Mexico), she said they were "not a long-term pattern" but were instead "almost certainly [caused by] human activity."

"Before we were in there pumping [oil], there were very few earthquakes in the area. Now, there's a lot," she added. "We have seen this in basically every situation in which you really increase the fluid pressure."

Other human activity, such as the construction of dams, can also spark earthquakes, Jones said.

Earthquakes in the U.S. are also common in California and Alaska due to their location, but surprise tremors have also shaken the Midwest occasionally. A 3.6 magnitude quake hit Standard, Illinois, in November.

https://www.newsweek.com/texas-shook-seventh-strongest-earthquake-state-history-1954977