Wow, Discover The Day That Shook Texas Off The Map

On August 16, 1931, Texas was rocked by its largest earthquake ever. It happened near Valentine, a small town in Jeff Davis County, and measured a magnitude of 5.8.

According to an article from the Texas Almanac, this event was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Texas. This surprised many because Texas isn't known for having many earthquakes.

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WOW, DISCOVER THE DAY THAT SHOOK TEXAS OFF THE MAP

Valentine is far from places like California and Alaska, where earthquakes are more common. Despite this, in cities like El Paso and Midland, the quake was felt as far as 400 miles away. It caused a lot of damage, especially to the adobe school in Valentine, which was partly destroyed.

The earthquake also changed the area’s natural features. It created a long crack in the ground about 100 miles long and changed where water flowed, causing some springs to dry up and new ones to appear. It moved fences and water troughs on farms, shifting some several feet from their original spots. Luckily, no one was hurt because not many people live in that area of Texas.

This makes one think more about the possibility of earthquakes in Texas. It shows that even places thought to be stable can have big quakes. The 1931 Valentine earthquake is a perfect example for scientists studying how and why earthquakes happen in Texas. It also shows why it’s a good idea to be ready for them, even in places where they don’t happen often.