A 5.3 Magnitude Earthquake Struck Texas on Wednesday

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was reported in west Texas early Wednesday morning, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. In case you didn't know, small earthquakes are actually quite common in Texas, in the range of 2.5-3.0, usually caused by fracking. However, 5.3 magnitude is quite strong for Texas. The strongest earthquake to ever hit Texas was a 6.0 magnitude quake that struck near Valentine, Texas on Aug. 16, 1931.

The center of the earthquake was located about 22 miles southwest of Mentone, Texas at 3:27 a.m. Not only was the quake felt in West Texas, but it was also felt in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Other people responded to the X post below, saying it was also felt in Las Cruces. It was also felt in Juarez, Mexico.

EARTHQUAKES HAPPEN IN OUR AREA ALL THE TIME:

At one point during a six-week period in 2021, there was a total of thirty-three(1.8-3.3 magnitude) reported earthquakes in this general area. Before this time period, this area was pretty dormant. So the question is, why are these happening?

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

So the question is, why are these happening? Most people will say fracking. Here is the official response from the USGS. While earthquakes are not directly caused by hydraulic fracturing (fracking). The two are connected. The recent increase in earthquakes is primarily caused by the disposal of waste fluids that are a byproduct of oil production. How does this cause an earthquake? Wastewater disposal wells typically operate for longer durations and inject much more fluid than is injected during the hydraulic fracturing process, making them more likely to induce earthquakes.