5.4 magnitude earthquake rocks west Texas just weeks after similar jolt
By Patrick Hilsman
The second 5.4-magnitude earthquake in a month rocked the area around Midland, Texas, on Friday. Image provided by U.S. Geological Survey
Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Western Texas was rocked by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake Friday, exactly one month after a similar quake struck the oil-producing region, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The powerful tremor was counted as fourth-strongest earthquake in Texas history by the U.S. Weather Service. No injuries were reported.
Residents felt the quake, which struck near Midland, Texas, as far away as Lubbock and Abilene San Angelo. Locals also reported cracked tiles, walls and ceilings.
"The earthquake occurred within the interior of the North American Tectonic Plate far from any tectonic plate boundaries, and is therefor considered an intraplate earthquake,' the USGS said in a statement.
The magnitude was originally reported as 5.3 before being updated to 5.4, then downgraded to 5.2, and finally upgraded back to 5.4. An aftershock about 3 minutes after the initial temblor registered at 3.6 before being downgraded to 3.3.
Friday's quake comes one month after the same area of Texas recorded the third-largest earthquake in state history.
The area where Friday's earthquake struck has experienced 120 earthquakes of 2.5 magnitude or greater since 2018 and the U.S. Geological Survey believes human activity has contributed to them.
"Over the past two decades the central and eastern United States (CEUS) has experienced an increase in the occurrence of earthquakes," the agency said.
"Scientific studies have linked much of this increase to human activity, predominantly wastewater injection into deep disposal wells. However, other mechanisms such as fluid withdrawal, enhanced oil recovery, or hydraulic fracturing processes can also result in induced earthquakes."
BROOKE BAITINGER
U.S. Geological Survey
A 5.3-magnitude earthquake shook West Texas near Midland on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 16, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.
The quake hit the heart of oil country at 5:35 p.m. Central Time, according to the USGS. People from as far away as Carlsbad, New Mexico and San Angelo reported feeling the tremor to the agency. The epicenter was about 13 miles northwest of Midland.
The National Weather Service in Midland said it’s the fourth strongest earthquake ever registered in Texas.No injuries were immediately reported.
A Twitter user commented on the NWS thread and said they felt it from their third floor apartment in Midland. “It made the dish drainer fall into the sink and my Christmas tree almost fell over,” they wrote.
Another said they felt their apartment shake in Grand Prairie.
“That was actually a little scary,” another person wrote.
It’s at least the second earthquake of 5.0 magnitude or larger in the area in the last month, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported. On Nov. 16, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake hit northwest of Pecos, the outlet reported.
People felt that quake in various parts of Texas and New Mexico as well, including El Paso, Midland and Lubbock, the outlet reported.
Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.
Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.
Midland and neighboring Odessa are in the heart of the Permian Basin, with a combined population of more than 300,000.
The Midland Reporter-Telegram says the other most powerful earthquakes in Texas were:
6.5 magnitude -- Aug. 16, 1931, near Fort Davis
5.7 magnitude – April 14, 1995, near Alpine
5.4 magnitude -- Nov. 16, 2022, west-southwest of Mentone
Earthquakes occur less often east of the Rocky Mountains but “are typically felt over a much broader region than earthquakes of similar magnitude in the west,” according to USGS.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
‘Unusual’ 3.7-magnitude earthquake shakes western Montana awake, geologists say
3.4-magnitude earthquake shakes north of Pinnacles National Park, geologists say
Earthquake rattles North Carolina mountains, with hundreds feeling it, geologists say
No comments:
Post a Comment