A significant earthquake measuring 5.1 in magnitude struck western Texas on Monday night, marking one of the largest seismic events in the state’s history. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at 7:49 p.m. local time, approximately 30 miles north of Midland and 22 miles west of Ackerly.
The tremors were felt widely, extending as far north as Amarillo and south to San Antonio, covering a distance of nearly 500 miles. The strongest shaking was noted just north of Midland, though there were no immediate reports of damage.
In the past week, Texas has experienced over 100 earthquakes of varying magnitudes, predominantly in the western region, according to TexNet’s Earthquake Catalog.
The earthquake ranks among the top five in Texas history, based on data from the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The strongest recorded earthquake in the state was a magnitude 6.0 that struck Valentine on August 16, 1931. The recent quake of 5.1 positions it just behind the fourth-strongest earthquake in the state’s history, which had a magnitude of 5.2 and hit Dalhart on March 12, 1948. Notably, two 5.2 magnitude quakes were also registered in western Texas earlier this year. This recent shake is the second 5.1 magnitude earthquake in Texas in 2023, following a similar event near Snyder on July 26.