West Texas Rocked by 5.0 Earthquake, Tremors Reach El Paso and Lubbock

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) says that a 5.0-magnitude earthquake hit West Texas late Friday night and was felt all over the area. The quake shook at 11:23 p.m., about 32 miles northwest of Toyah and 6.6 kilometers below the surface. After only five minutes, a more minor earthquake with a magnitude of 2.6 hit the same area.

People in El Paso, parts of southern New Mexico, and even Lubbock, almost four hours away, said they felt the ground shake. The USGS initially said the earthquake caused strong shaking, but no significant damage has been recorded.

Texas is not usually where many earthquakes occur, but in the last few years, there have been more small earthquakes in Reeves County and the nearby areas. Some experts say this is because of natural changes in the earth's crust, while others say it could be because of oil and gas activity, such as wastewater injection wells.

Emergency management officials are monitoring the situation, but there have been no reports of accidents or damage to buildings. The government tells people to be careful and report any damage they see.

This latest earthquake is a reminder that Texas does have earthquakes, though not as often as places like California. There have been more small to mild earthquakes in the area, which makes people worry about how solid infrastructure will hold up and how ready people will be for bigger earthquakes in the future.

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