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  • There is a whole lot of shaking going on in this one tiny Texas town.
  • Two months ago there was a 5.2 magnitude quake felt for hundreds of miles around.
  • Earthquakes are becoming stronger and more frequent in the Delaware Basin of Texas.

When you think of the place with the most earthquakes in the U.S., the San Andreas fault system in California immediately pops into your head. In reality, the U.S. Geological Survey noted more 2.5  and higher magnitude quakes in Texas than in California.

According to USA Today earthquakes in Texas have been increasing because of oil and gas drilling. The data has the shaking centered mostly near the tiny town of Mentone, Texas.

A large 5.2 magnitude quake occurred on November 8, 2023 about 25 miles southwest of the town with a population of 22 in the recent 2020 census. With so few people in the region, the smaller quakes affect a minimal amount of people.

Many Small Earthquakes Are Happening Daily In Texas

According to earthquaketrack.com there was a 3.0 earthquake in Mentone just today. This week there was one that hit 3.5, and a 3.9 was measured just three weeks ago.

According to UT news the shaking has been rising in the area since 2009. Researchers who keep track found that 68% of earthquakes above magnitude 1.5 were highly associated with oil and gas production.

National Geographic/Esri/earthquaketrack.com
National Geographic/Esri/earthquaketrack.com
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According to some researchers, these are the consequences of fracking. If you are worried about earthquakes where you are, here are some great tips to use to stay safe if you are caught in a Texas earthquake.

Tips For Staying Safe During An Earthquake in Texas

Here are some tips on how to stay safe during an earthquake according to the CDC.

Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas

The Strongest Earthquakes in East Texas History

Here's a look (in no particular order at some of the strongest earthquakes in East Texas in modern history. Some of these tremors were centered in East Texas, while the epicenters of other quakes were in neighboring states, but the effects were felt in East Texas.

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

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