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LUBBOCK — A 5.0 magnitude earthquake rocked the Texas Panhandle early Thursday morning, one of the strongest recorded in Texas.
Effects from the earthquake were felt throughout the rural region and as far as southern Oklahoma and New Mexico.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 5:21 a.m. nearly 24 miles south-southeast of Spearman near the top of the Texas-Oklahoma border. On social media, Spearman residents said the earthquake shook homes. Some in Oklahoma City, nearly 250 miles away, reported feeling the effects of the earthquake.
No structural damage or injuries have been reported so far. The USGS expects economic losses to be minimal.
A.J. Harrel, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Amarillo, said the earthquake originated from northwest Roberts County, nearly 50 miles south of Spearman. Harrel said Thursday’s earthquake was stronger than what they typically see in the region.
“We’ve had smaller earthquakes within the past year or two,” Harrel said. “They do happen here, just not frequently.”
In the last five years, Texas has experienced seven earthquakes that measured at a 5.0 magnitude or higher. According to Earthquake Track, the earthquake in Spearman is tied for the sixth-biggest in Texas history.
Last year, two of the largest earthquakes in state history struck in West Texas. Earthquakes in that region have been attributed to an increase in hydraulic fracking in the area. It is unclear what caused the earthquake in the Panhandle.
“There are some minor fault lines in the Texas Panhandle that could cause weak to moderate earthquakes,” Harrel said. “They’re just not very frequent.”
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