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5.4 quake jolts oil-producing West Texas as locals blame 'fracking' for 4th strongest tremor in state

This is the second time in two months that the state has been hit by a significant quake and people are blaming it on the ongoing Texas fracking

MIDLAND, TEXAS: A moderate earthquake occurred in Western Texas on Friday, December 16. The United States Geological Survey explained that the magnitude 5.4 quake occurred around 5.30 pm, was located 12.5 miles north-northwest of Midland and Odessa, and had a depth of 5.09 miles. It has already been called the fourth strongest earthquake in the state’s history by local meteorologists. The tremors were felt by residents in Roswell as well. This is the second time in two months that the state has been hit by a significant quake and people are blaming it on the ongoing Texas fracking.

A reporter in Odessa for CBS 7, Joshua Skinner, reported, "Big earthquake in Odessa, TX. Happened around 5:36 p.m. The whole news studio shook for a solid 10 seconds." As reported by USGS, "The earthquake occurred within the interior of the North America plate, far from any tectonic plate boundaries, and is therefore considered an intraplate earthquake." The statement further reads, "Since 2018 about 120 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 and larger have struck within 50 km of the recent quake. Larger earthquakes have struck in the broader area." No injuries were reported so far. The state was struck by a massive 5.4-magnitude quake only last month.

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Anthony Franze, News West reporter, tweeted, "BREAKING: USGS is reporting a Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake that was centered just about 10 miles north of Midland, in western Martin County. This is the 4th strongest quake EVER recorded in the state of Texas. #StormTracker9"

'Fracking has a cost'

One startled resident reacted to the quake and wrote, "We have felt a few of the smaller ones but this one really shook the house. Power went out for a few minutes only." Another person who connected the quake to the ongoing fracking in the state wrote, "Could this be due to fracking in the state? I hope there aren't any injuries or fatalities due to this earthquake." One more person said, "

One person who really felt the quake wrote, "Wow that earthquake! We could hear it coming, like some train from hell before it hit the house. It was the most violent and prolonged shaking that I've experienced here in West Texas. 5.3, at 2km depth. Fracking has a cost. All that crap goes somewhere & effs up the water table." Another person wrote, "Oh hell no!! We just had another major earthquake in the Odessa / West Texas area. I hate this!!! Screw you fracking oil companies!!! This never happened before until you b*****ds started doing this!!!"

One person claimed that the quake "sounded like rumbling" and said, "Felt here in North East Texas, sounded like rumbling and a little shaking on my 2nd story Apt building." Another person blamed the constant fracking and quipped, "There was an earthquake in my part of Texas, where (surprise!) a ton of fracking occurs. Our state continues to delve into Mad Max shit" 

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