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An earthquake rattled the Texas Panhandle.
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake was recorded near Miami, Texas, at 4:21 a.m. MT/5:21 a.m. CT on Thursday, July 23, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The quake had a depth of 5.5 km (3.42 miles) and could be felt as far as Amarillo, the USGS said.
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Miami is located in Roberts County, along U.S. Highway 60 between Canadian and Pampa.
What causes earthquakes?
The Earth has four layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle and crust. The crust and top of the mantle make up another area called the "lithosphere," which acts like a skin surrounding the Earth's surface.
The lithosphere, however, is not in one piece and exists like a puzzle or series of fragments, according to the USGS. These parts of the lithosphere are not stationary and move slowly. These are called "tectonic plates."
As the tectonic plates move and shift past one another, they occasionally bump or collide. This places stress on the plates' edges. When the stress becomes too great, it creates cracks called "faults." The point where these faults move against each other is called the "fault line."
When there is too much friction between the fault lines, energy is released suddenly, triggering seismic waves which lead to an earthquake.
Can earthquakes be predicted?
Earthquakes are not predicted. Neither the U.S. Geological Survey, nor scientists, have predicted a major earthquake, and there's no expectation for that to change in the near future.
Are earthquakes increasing?
While it might seem like earthquakes are happening more often, especially with real-time alerts and widespread media coverage, the overall rate of earthquakes has remained relatively stable over time.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, any year may appear more active due to improvements in technology that allow scientists to detect more small quakes than in the past — not because there are actually more earthquakes occurring.
Long-term global records dating back to 1900 show that the Earth averages about 16 major earthquakes (magnitude 7.0 or greater) each year — typically 15 in the 7.0 range and one magnitude 8.0 or higher. In 2024, there were 10 earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater, the strongest being a 7.5 in Japan.
However, the risk of being affected by an earthquake is growing because of increasing human and economic exposure and the number of assets being built in high earthquake hazard areas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a report in 2023.
What to do during an earthquake
Classic evergreen box that pairs well with any quake story.
- Drop to your hands and knees
- Cover your head and neck under sturdy furniture if possible
- Hold on until shaking stops
- Stay indoors unless you are near a known coastal tsunami risk zone
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Natassia Paloma may be reached at [email protected], @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the nation as the Weather Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network and contributes to Texas Connect coverage across the state. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas Panhandle rattled by 5.1-magnitude earthquake
