West Texans were jolted yesterday when a 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck the region, the latest in what appears to be an increasing pattern of seismic activity. The US Geological Survey reports that the quake occurred around 9:45 p.m., centered approximately 20 miles southwest of Ackerly and just north of Midland, as detailed by San Angelo LIVE. This incident is part of a succession of tremors that have rattled the area this year.
Following the earthquake pattern, last month's larger 5.1 magnitude quake was felt from Midland to Austin, constituting only the third Texas earthquake surpassing a magnitude of 5.0 since 2017. The recent quake was felt overnight in the West Texas region, where earthquakes have become an unsettling norm, with little activity reported on the USGS website, according to MySA.
Prior earthquakes have not been without precedent or notice in the cities afar. In July, Dallas felt the reverberations of temblors originating from the West Texas basin, and San Antonio residents reported similar disturbances shortly after. The USGS also noted that a smaller, 1.7 magnitude earthquake preceded the 3.2 tremor Wednesday night, happening mere hours before near Toyah, Texas.
With the ground underfoot proving more restless, the USGS predicts a likelihood of an earthquake of magnitude 1.0 or greater striking West Texas in the coming weeks. While the root cause of the recent tremors remains officially undetermined, USGS cautions that improper wastewater disposal from the oil and gas industry might contribute significantly to regional seismicity. Meanwhile, as MySA reports, officials in Midland have been contending with the oil and gas sector to halt these disposals viewed as improper.
