Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes West Texas, residents report shaking
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck near Mentone, Texas at 9:16 a.m. on Thursday.
Shaking was felt by residents who were in their homes across the Borderland from El Paso’s Upper Valley through to Clint, as well as in southern parts of New Mexico.
This earthquake came hours after a smaller magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck in the same region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) sent an emergency alert stating that there was no damage or injuries reported in the El Paso region.
The USGS states that it is possible for a magnitude 4.0 earthquake in eastern or central North America to be felt by a large percentage of the population in communities that are located over 100 km away from the quake’s epicentre.
El Paso Times reports that this region is not accustomed to earthquakes, and many took to social media to express their confusion. See below for a few of the reactions:
