Earthquake Shakes West Texas Outside Town of Stanton

STANTON, TX — A minor earthquake rattled parts of western Texas on Monday afternoon. 

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 2.4 earthquake at 1:02 p.m., centered about 8 miles west-southwest of Stanton in Martin County. The epicenter was approximately 11 miles northeast of Midland. 

The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 4.7 miles, according to USGS data. The VolcanoDiscovery monitoring site described the shaking intensity as "very weak" (II on the Mercalli scale) and noted no felt reports from the public as of late Monday afternoon. 

Earthquakes of this magnitude are common in the Permian Basin region, often linked to oil and gas activity, but typically cause no significant effects.

In July 2024, numerous San Angelo residents reported feeling an earthquake after a 4.9-magnitude quake was recorded about 90 miles away near the town of Snyder.