West Texas rattled by one of state’s strongest earthquakes over past 123 years
The magnitude 5.2 quake hit at 3:27 a.m. MST and was centered in a rural area about halfway between Midland and El Paso. It's the fourth-strongest quake measured in Texas since records began in 1900.
5.2 magnitude earthquake rattles West Texas
Residents of West Texas had a rude awakening Nov. 8, 2023, when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook the region.
EL PASO, Texas – One of the strongest earthquakes to hit Texas since the turn of the 20th century jolted residents out of bed early Wednesday morning, providing an early awakening to kick off the middle of the week.
The moderate magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit at 3:27 a.m. MST and was centered in a rural area about halfway between Midland and El Paso, or about 58 miles south-southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico, at a depth of about 5 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS originally reported the magnitude as 5.3.
WATCH: CAMERA CAPTURES MOMENT MAGNITUDE 5.2 EARTHQUAKE SHAKES WEST TEXAS
There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
Several residents around El Paso and southeastern New Mexico took to social media to report being jolted awake as the quake struck in the pre-dawn hours.
Some replied to the National Weather Service in El Paso's post on X that they ran from bed when the shaking began and that the quake lasted as long as 20-30 seconds.
There have been several aftershocks in the wake of the 5.2-magnitude quake, the strongest so far registering a magnitude of 3.4, with five others ranging from magnitude 2.5 to 3.2, according to the USGS.
Quake was 4th-strongest in Texas since 1900
Analysis by the FOX Weather Center found that Wednesday morning's magnitude 5.3 quake was the fourth-strongest measured in Texas since records began in 1900.
(FOX Weather)
Only a 5.8 quake in Valentine in 1931, a 5.7 quake near Marathon in April 1995 and a 5.4 quake in Coalson Draw in Nov. 2021 have been larger.
In addition, it's only the fourth quake of magnitude 5.0 or greater since 2000 in the Lone Star State.