A disaster has been declared in Scurry County after the West Texas region has dealt with a whopping 61 earthquakes in just the last seven days alone.
This disaster declaration was officially made by Scurry County Judge Dan Hicks. The judge is now requesting urgent assistance from Texas.
The Hurricane Beryl Aftermath
Prior to these earthquakes hitting West Texas, the Lone Star State was still reeling from Hurricane Beryl, which left a path of destruction throughout the state.
Many homes and businesses had been left without power due to the damage caused to the energy infrastructure, with the earthquakes causing further damage.
The Latest Earthquake in West Texas
After seven days of earthquakes, the latest 5.0 magnitude earthquake in Scurry County finally prompted Judge Hicks to declare a disaster in the region.
This latest earthquake occurred around 9:30 a.m. It was only a few miles away from another earthquake that rattled West Texas on Monday, which was a 4.9 magnitude.
The Earthquake Woke up Residents
The first earthquake on Monday was at 10:38 pm and was strong enough to wake up residents in Hermleigh.
This earthquake was so strong that it was also felt in Oklahoma and New Mexico. What residents didn’t know at this point was that it was the beginning of a string of continuous earthquakes.
One of the Strongest Earthquakes in Texas History
This latest 5.0 magnitude earthquake has already been declared to be at least the 5th strongest quake in Texas’ history.
Earthquakes are becoming increasingly common in Texas in recent years, especially in West Texas. Therefore, stronger earthquakes may soon become normal in the region.
Different Levels of Shaking Felt
It didn’t matter which area of West Texas felt the earthquake the most, as all areas could feel some effect from it, with some being worse than others.
The earthquake near Hermleigh was reported to have caused moderate to strong shaking in the epicenter, with a possibility of very light-to-light damage. However, North Texas also felt some of the effects of this earthquake, reporting very weak shaking that was unlikely to cause any damage.
Earthquakes Need to Be 2.5 Magnitude or Higher
To feel earthquakes, they must have a magnitude of 2.5 or higher, and the type and structure of the building you are in also affect your ability to feel them.
It’s also unknown how long these earthquakes will continue, whether there will be more in a row, or whether West Texas will get a bit of a break for the time being.
Damages in West Texas From These Quakes
According to Hicks, damages have already been found in various parts of Scurry County.
The judge explained that both residences and businesses have suffered from the dozens of earthquakes that have occurred in the past seven days.
No Reported Injuries
Even though there are some damage in the region, so far, there haven’t been any reported injuries, which is a good sign and something Texas officials want to maintain.
However, if anyone has been injured by the earthquakes, they are encouraged to go to their nearest hospital to be checked over and treated appropriately.
A Week of Earthquakes in West Texas
On Monday night, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in West Texas that rattled much of the region, setting off various aftershocks that continued for the next few days.
This earthquake reportedly sent aftershocks as far south as Austin and as far north as Amarillo.
States Experiencing Multiple Earthquakes
Texas isn’t the only state experiencing multiple earthquakes in one week. Southern California has also been experiencing this, but nowhere near the amount West Texas has been experiencing.
In just one week, Southern California experienced six earthquakes in a row, most of which were roughly 3.6 on the magnitude scale. However, experts have predicted that the worst is yet to come.
Mega-Earthquakes Set to Hit Five States
While other states might think they’re safe, this isn’t necessarily true. Some mega-earthquakes are set to hit five different states within the next fifty years.
Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois are the states set to be affected. The earthquakes, which have been predicted to be more than 6.0 on the magnitude scale, could have devastating effects on these states.
Aftershock Magnitudes
According to Meteorologist Scott Padgett, the aftershocks experienced were about 3.1 magnitude and felt in other parts of Texas.
The epicenter of this specific quake was hundreds of miles away from North Texas — yet various regions of North Texas still felt some aftershocks.
Other Earthquakes in West Texas
In seven days, 61 quakes were felt in this region of West Texas. While many of them were aftershocks, there were others that weren’t.
For example, there was also a 3.1 magnitude quake, as well as a 4.4 magnitude one, separate from the 4.9 on Monday and the 5.0 on Friday.
No Injuries
Thankfully, there haven’t appeared to be any injuries reported associated with these earthquakes.
There also haven’t been any major damages reported, either, though Hicks has explained that businesses and residents may be dealing with small-scale damages in the region.
Residents Should Evaluate Their Homes
Residents have been requested to assess any damage to their homes and submit a report, which will be sent straight to the state. If required, assistance can be provided at the state level.
The Texas Department of Transportation has also been sent to assess any damage to roads, bridges and overpasses.
What Are the Causes of These Earthquakes
These sudden earthquakes, experienced one after the other for seven days now, haven’t been completely analyzed by researchers yet.
Therefore, the exact cause of these quakes hasn’t been revealed. However, researchers are already studying the cluster in the region to understand its causes.
Quakes Are Becoming More Common in Texas
In only the last few years, earthquakes have become increasingly more common in Texas — and particularly West Texas.
Now, more than one thousand quakes will likely occur in Texas each year. This is more than double the amount seen in 2020 — and more than eight times the amount seen in 2017.
Residents Believe It Is a Sign From God
Due to the scale and number of earthquakes in West Texas, some residents believe that this is a sign from God that lets them know that he is here and in control.
Others believe that it is a sign from Mother Nature, but scientists believe that something else is the root cause of the earthquakes.
Earthquakes Caused by Human Activity
One of the main reasons that everything tends to point back to when it comes to earthquakes is human activity. Even though earthquakes are seen as natural disasters, humans are causing them.
This is why scientists are trying to encourage humans to step away from activities that cause earthquakes to prevent their frequency and intensity.
Why Are Earthquakes Happening More?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this increase in earthquakes in Texas is because of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.
This oil drilling occurs when liquid is injected into a well, which breaks up rock and shale. This then allows for the extraction of oil or gas reserves.
The Disposal of Wastewater
The USGS further explained that this increase in earthquakes isn’t necessarily because of the fracking itself. Instead, it has to do with the disposal of the massive amounts of wastewater the technique produces.
This wastewater is injected back into the earth’s surface — and may lead to the increased number of earthquakes seen in West Texas.
Converting Saltwater Disposal Wells
Saltwater disposal wells are reportedly what scientists believe could be the leading cause of these earthquakes, with investigators focusing specifically on disposal wells in Camp Springs.
To try to reduce the seismicity of earthquakes, the Railroad Commission has been converting deep saltwater disposal wells into shallow saltwater disposal wells to see if that makes any difference.
The Type and Texture of the Earth
Other scientists believe that, in addition to saltwater wells and fracking, the earthquakes in West Texas were caused by the type and texture of the Earth.
Their reasoning is that the rocks are very old and very cold, comparing them to a steel bar. If you hit one end of the rocks, seismic waves travel down them with ease, causing earthquakes.
