Earthquake in El Paso? 5.3 magnitude quake hits West Texas early Wednesday

Aaron A. Bedoya and Maria Cortes Gonzalez, El Paso Times
Updated ·3 min read
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El Pasoans might've felt some shaking from an earthquake.

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook western Texas early Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake happened around 3:27 a.m. MT, nearly 24 miles southwest of Mentone, Texas, a town near the Texas-New Mexico border, about 57 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico and 200 miles east of El Paso.

The earthquake hit at a depth of 7.4 kilometers and some strong shaking could be felt in the immediate area, according to the USGS.

The National Weather Service office in El Paso said they felt the earthquake in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which is about 13 miles away from El Paso.

No damage or injuries have been immediately reported.

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook western Texas early Wednesday morning.
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook western Texas early Wednesday morning.

When was the last time West Texas felt a 5.3 earthquake?

The National Weather Service stated there was an M5.3 earthquake in West Texas about a year ago. It was felt in El Paso as well. However, National Weather Service El Paso meteorologists are not sure how it compares to Wednesday morning's quake.

That earthquake was recorded Nov. 16, 2022, according to an El Paso Times article. Unlike Wednesday's earthquake, it was felt in the afternoon.

Earthquake monitoring sites detected the quake at 2:32 p.m. in West Texas, with the USGS initially reporting a 5.3 magnitude quake at a depth of 4.3 miles and 23 miles west-southwest of Mentone, Texas. It was later upgraded to a 5.4.

Weaker quakes in the same area were reported afterward.

Where was El Paso earthquake felt?

The USGS has a community internet intensity map that allows people to report where they felt the earthquake.

Many Borderland residents have been reporting on social media that they were woken up by the earthquake. Residents from various parts of El Paso, as well as Anthony, New Mexico and Juárez, have commented about feeling it.

To see the Shake Map, go to the USGS Website.

More about 2022 quake Did you feel that? Earthquake rattles West Texas

How far is Mentone, Texas from El Paso?

Mentone, Texas is a town near the Texas-New Mexico border, about 57 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico and 200 miles east of El Paso, Texas.

Interestingly, more people felt the earthquake outside of Mentone if you take its population into account. In 2021, Mentone had a population of eight people with a median age of 66.

Between 2020 and 2021, the population of Mentone declined from 10 to 8, according to Data USA Website. The median household income was $127,917, so they probably do what Taylor Swift does and just shake it off.

Why do earthquake magnitude scales change?

Different sources will have slightly different magnitudes as new data comes in, says the National Weather Service.

The USGS upped Wednesday's earthquake from 5.2 when it first happened to 5.3, three hours later.

USA Today contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso earthquake 2023: West Texas hit by 5.3 magnitude quake