Earthquake That Hit Texas Oil Country Was State’s Second-Biggest

Magnitude 5.3 tremor recorded on Wednesday, USGS says
Earthquake hit a year after state’s record event in same area

The 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit at 4:27 a.m. local time about 24 miles (38 kilometers) south of Mentone, Texas, according to the USGS.
Source: USGS

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By David Wethe

November 8, 2023 at 4:09 PM UTC

Updated on

November 8, 2023 at 5:03 PM UTC

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The earthquake that rattled West Texas oil country in the early morning hours on Wednesday was the state’s second-biggest ever, coming almost a year after a record temblor rocked parts of the Permian Basin.

The 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit at 4:27 a.m. local time about 24 miles (38 kilometers) south of Mentone, Texas, according to the US Geological Survey. Preliminary data showed that it was slightly less powerful than last year’s tremor, which shook roughly the same location on Nov. 16. Exactly one month after last year’s record event, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit the region, according to the Texas Seismological Network.