The United States Geological Survey reported at 3:32 p.m. today that a 5.4 magnitude earthquake occurred near Mentone, Texas – 75 miles northwest of Fort Stockton.

The depth of the quake was approximately 5.5 miles below the surface.

A geophysicist with the USGS explained the occurrence and the potential after effects.

“The underground faults exceed certain thresholds of stress and it shifts,” she said. “There is likely going to be aftershocks. I haven’t seen any near the event as of yet but we’re still processing this first event. That area started to be active about a couple of years ago and ever since then we have seen not many, but there has been a few. All the bigger events have happened since March of 2020.”

The magnitude of the earthquake is the third largest in state history according to Earthquake Track.

The two largest recorded in state history were a 5.7 magnitude quake near Alpine 27 years ago and a 6.5 magnitude quake near Fort Davis 91 years ago.

A geophysicist with the USGS told the Pioneer on Wednesday that felt reports had been received from areas near the Texas-Mexico Border, a portion of New Mexico, and as far as Dallas to the east.

According to USGS data provided on their website cities that felt moderate shaking from the earthquake

Included Pecos and Mentone.

Fort Stockton was one of 36 cities that received light shaking according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale.

Additional cities and towns listed that had light shaking excluding Fort Stockton included Kermit, Van Horn, Carlsbad, Hobbs, Odessa, Midland, Roswell, Praxedis Guerro, Artesia, Atoka, Boles Acres, Dexter, Eunice, Hagerman, Jai, La Huerta, Loving, Lovington, Alpine, Andrews, Brownfield, Crane, Denver City, Fort Davis, Fort Hancock, Gardendale, Iraan, Lamesa, Marfa, McCamey, Monahans, Plains, Rankin, Seagraves, Seminole Sierra Blanca.