Texas Tremors: 3 Deadly Earthquakes That Made Their Mark

When you think of earthquakes, Texas isn't the first place that comes to mind. However, the Lone Star State has had its share of seismic events that have left an impact. Texas is not known for frequent or intense earthquakes like the West Coast, but they do happen.

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Volcano Discovery keeps track of all the data that happens in and around Texas. Though you might not have felt them, there have been several just within the past 24 hours. I was intrigued and did a little research to see just how powerful Texas earthquakes can get. Below is just some of what I found.

TEXAS TREMORS: 3 DEADLY EARTHQUAKES THAT MADE THEIR MARK

• One of the worst earthquakes in Texas history occurred on August 16, 1931, near the town of Valentine. It had a magnitude of 5.8 and resulted in significant damage to adobe buildings and homes, with chimneys crumbling and walls cracking.
• A deadly quake struck the city of El Paso on April 14, 1887. With a magnitude estimated to be around 7.0, this event caused widespread damage to buildings and the area. There were even reports of the Rio Grande's water turning muddy due to the underground seismic activity.
• More recently the town of Snyder experienced a series of earthquakes in 2014 and 2015. These were attributed to hydraulic fracturing or "fracking". Although these earthquakes were relatively minor, they prove that there are consequences when it comes to industrial practices in Texas.

While Texas may not be as earthquake-active as some other places, history proves that it's no stranger to the devastation caused by seismic shake-ups. I think it could get worse as certain regional populations continue to grow and fracking practices evolve.