These Are the Strongest Earthquakes Ever Recorded in Texas

After a 4.9-magnitude earthquake shook West Texas on Monday, July 22, 2024, it has many Texans wondering what the history of Texas earthquakes looks like.

Monday’s quake landed itself as the eighth strongest earthquake recorded in Texas, which ties with the previous eighth spot quake that happened in 2022 in Loving, NM. Seeing this had me wondering what the strongest earthquake in Texas was, and where the number two through seven quakes lined up in between.

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The largest earthquakes ever recorded in Texas are as follows:

• The number eight spot is a tie at a 4.9-magnitude from July 21, 2022 in Loving, NM and July 22, 2024 in Rotan, TX. Although the 2022 quake happened in New Mexico, it was felt through West Texas as well.
• The next quake in at a 5.0-magnitude on March 26, 2020 in Mentone, TX.
• The fifth strongest quake also happened in Mentone, reaching a 5.2-magnitude on November 8, 2023.
• Number four was a 5.4-magnitude quake in Midland, TX on December 16, 2022
• Number three was also in Mentone and technically ties with the Midland quake at a 5.4, happening exactly a month prior on November 16, 2022.
• The second largest earthquake happened on April 13, 1995 at a 5.7-magnitude in Alpine, TX.
• Lastly, the largest recorded earthquake in Texas happened in Valentine on August 16, 1931, at a 6.5-magnitude.

It is fascinating to see Texas’ history with earthquakes. Mentone had three of the largest earthquakes in the state, most of the quakes happened in the summer and fall months, and the 16th was a very common date.