The US Geological Survey had reported that a 4.5 earthquake struck near Midland, Texas, Monday, shaking the ground of the Lone Star state. The quake reached a depth of 4.8 miles and was registered just after 7:55 pm.
According to TheSun, Residents in Stanton, Odessa, and San Angelo could reportedly feel the quake as well. The quake was initially reported by the USGS as a 4.3 magnitude. Unlike other states Texas is not known for earthquakes, leaving many shocked over what had happened.
“Earthquake much? 4.3 Here in Texas. We don’t do that often,” wrote one user. Another user commented that the quake “shook the house and rattled the windows.” “We got a lot of earthquake reports here at NewsWest 9 not too long ago! People all across the Permian Basin felt this one. And for good reason!” tweeted NewsWest 9 meteorologist, Brenden Mincheff.
According to USN, The earthquake happened in the Permian Basin, home of the largest shale oil and gas field. This is the second strongest earthquake in West Texas in the last 10 years, MRT news reported. After a series of smaller earthquakes in recent months, the state’s energy regulator, Texas Railroad Commission in September set limits on the volume of wastewater that oil and gas producers could inject underground.
