‘El Paso could have stronger earthquakes,’ says seismologist

Last week, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake centered near Pecos was felt by thousands more than 300 miles away in El Paso.

And, according to a UTEP seismologist, we could expect even bigger quakes in the future.

Aaron Velasco says El Paso could have a 7-point earthquake AND it could be centered much closer than last week’s. Professor Velasco says last week’s earthquake is the largest to occur in Texas since modern times and certainly the largest on record.

El Paso sits on the East Franklin Mountain Fault and, says Velasco, if that fault were to slip (which it WILL BE one day), the resulting quake could be as strong as 7.0 on the Richter scale.

The last time the EFM fault slipped was 12,000 years ago. But, says Velasco, the next slip could be “a thousand years from now, or tomorrow”. Of course, he adds, the chances of that happening anytime soon are “very slow”.

So what causes EARTHQUAKE arrive in Texas? When I grew up in Oklahoma, the idea of ​​an earthquake in Sooner State would have been far-fetched, like having a blizzard in Miami Beach.

Over the past decade, seismological events have become quite common. I always think, “these earthquakes only started when the fracking started”. I know that correlation doesn’t always equal causation, but many geologists have favored the “induced earthquake” theory.

The U.S. Geological Survey indicates that about 2% of these induced earthquakes could be the result of hydraulic fracturing, a technique of running salt water through the ground to “fracture” the subsoil and make difficult-to-reach oil deposits accessible.

The majority of induced earthquakes, according to the USGS, are primarily caused by sewage disposal that IS a by-product of oil production.

The biggest earthquake KNOWN be induced by fracking was a 4.0 earthquake, also in Texas, in 2018. Professor Velasco speculates that the disposal of waste from fracking COULD be a factor in last week’s event.

He also says that a 7.0 event could cause “significant structural damage” to buildings in El Paso and that it would be wise to plan and prepare for such an event.

Here is the video of the story broadcast on KTSM news:

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