5.4 magnitude earthquake hits West Texas, with reports of shaking stretching to Austin
KUT 90.5 | By Andy Jechow
Published November 16, 2022 at 5:24 PM CST
https://www.kut.org/texas/2022-11-16/5-4...ching-to-austin


A USGS earthquake map shows the quake hit near the Texas-New Mexico border, west of Midland and northwest of the town of Pecos.
U.S. Geological Survey


The earthquake hit not far from the Texas-New Mexico border, near the town of Pecos, this afternoon.

An unusually large earthquake — for Texas — struck western parts of the state around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Staff at Texas Public Radio reported light shaking in San Antonio, and the U.S. Geological Survey said it has received reports of shaking in Austin.

The magnitude 5.4 quake appears to be one of the largest in Texas history, according to Jonathan Tytell, a geophysicist with the USGS. The largest known earthquake to ever hit the state was a 6.0 magnitude quake in the town of Valentine, near Marfa, in 1931.

The epicenter of Wednesday's earthquake was not far from the New Mexico border — about 35 miles northwest of the town of Pecos. The epicenter was close to the same area where a 5.0 earthquake hit in March 2020, Tytell said.

He said the earthquake was likely caused by oil and gas industry activity in the area.

Marfa Public Radio's Travis Bubenik said he noticed his monitor shaking around 3:30. He noted this part of the West Texas oilfield has a history of earthquakes, "but this one is an unusually big one!" -- excerpt, rest at link above --