5.4 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes West Texas, Residents Brace for Aftershocks

West Texas, USA – A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck Saturday night, rattling the region and prompting concerns about potential aftershocks. The tremor occurred at 7:47 PM local time, about 35 miles south of Whites City, New Mexico, near the Texas border. It was initially measured at 5.3 magnitude before being upgraded by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake was recorded at a depth of approximately 4.6 miles. While the quake was felt across a wide area, including locations more than 100 miles away, authorities reported no injuries or severe damage. Over 1,500 individuals indicated they felt the tremor, according to local reports.

This earthquake is part of a broader series of seismic activities, with USGS noting a total of 46 earthquakes recorded in the area since early April. Their data suggests a 65 percent chance of a significant aftershock occurring in the coming week.

A local TV station highlighted that the 5.4 tremor was the strongest of the night, accompanied by two smaller aftershocks measuring 3.4 and 2.9 magnitudes. Residents in the region are advised to take precautions, as USGS warned of possible damaging earthquakes in the future, urging people to adopt the ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ method during tremors.

The increase in seismic activity in West Texas has raised questions about its connection to oil and gas extraction practices, particularly fracking. This method, which involves injecting large volumes of water, chemicals, and sand into the ground, can sometimes lead to earthquakes triggered by the disposal of wastewater from the process.

Experts like Dr. Alexandros Savvaidis from the University of Texas at Austin have noted the link between deep injection wells and higher-magnitude earthquakes. He mentioned that while shallow injections tend to be less hazardous, increasing drilling activity could potentially escalate seismic risks in the future.