Shaken, Not Stirred: Remembering 3 Deadly Texas Earthquakes

When people think of earthquakes, Texas isn't the first place that comes to mind. However, the Lone Star State has had its share of seismic events that have left an impact. Texas is not known for frequent or intense earthquakes like the West Coast, but they do happen.

Volcano Discovery keeps track of all the data in and around Texas. Though you might not have felt them, several have been within the past 24 hours. I was intrigued and did a little research to see how powerful Texas earthquakes have been. Below is a bit of what I found.

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SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED: REMEMBERING 3 DEADLY TEXAS EARTHQUAKES

• One of the worst earthquakes in Texas history occurred on August 16, 1931, near the town of Valentine. It had a magnitude of 5.8 and significantly damaged adobe buildings and homes, with chimneys crumbling and walls cracking.
• A deadly quake struck the city of El Paso on April 14, 1887. With an estimated magnitude of around 7.0, this event caused widespread damage to buildings and the area. There were reports of the Rio Grande's water turning muddy due to the underground seismic activity.
• More recently, the town of Snyder experienced a series of earthquakes in 2014 and 2015. These were attributed to hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Although these earthquakes were relatively minor, they prove that industrial practices in Texas have consequences.

While Texas may not be as earthquake-active as some other places, history shows it's no stranger to the devastation caused by seismic shake-ups. It could worsen as certain regional populations continue to grow and fracking practices evolve.