Swarm of earthquakes hits West Texas on Monday

Three earthquakes hit an area northwest of Abilene on Monday night. The biggest quake was 4.9 near the Scurry-Fisher county line.

That earthquake at 10:38 p.m. was followed by two more over the next 90 minutes measuring 4.4 and 3.1. No damage or injuries were reported in any of the earthquakes.

The 4.9 tremor was the eighth-strongest in Texas history. The strongest was 5.8 in Presidio County in South Texas. That quake in 1931 damaged homes and buildings in several towns.

Of the 10 strongest earthquakes recorded in Texas, six have occurred since 2020.

The Texas Railroad Commission has said the injection of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing sites is "likely contributing to recent seismic activity." In December, the agency suspended permits that had previously let companies dispose of wastewater in Reeves and Culberson Counties, to the southwest of Monday's quakes.

In November 2023, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Reeves County was the fourth strongest in the state's history. A 5.4 magnitude quake hit Reeves County in November 2022.

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