A significant earthquake, measuring a magnitude 5.0, jolted the Texas Panhandle on Thursday morning, marking the most powerful seismic event recorded in the region in over a century. The tremor occurred at 4:21 AM Mountain Time, with its epicenter located approximately 23 miles from Spearman, Texas. The shaking, however, was not confined to Texas, as residents in neighboring Oklahoma and Kansas also reported feeling the effects.
Strongest Texas Quake in Over 100 Years
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the magnitude of the earthquake, classifying it as the strongest to hit the Texas Panhandle since records began. This event is only the fourth earthquake of magnitude 4.0 or greater to occur in the region since 1900, underscoring its unusual intensity.
Residents across the affected areas described a range of experiences. In Texas, individuals reported their homes trembling and feeling disoriented. One resident, writing on the social platform X, shared their surprise: “I definitely didn’t expect to start my day with my bed vibrating, only to find out there was a 5.1 earthquake about an hour away!” Another local in Spearman described feeling a significant disorientation during the shaking.
Further afield, in Norman, Oklahoma, resident Connor Mellace noted “very light shaking”
