M4.3 Earthquake 34 km NNE of Skellytown, Texas — April 14, 2021
2021-04-14 23:54:02 UTC (2021-04-14) · approx. 4:54 PM UTC-7 local
Felt by 116 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.8 (moderate).
On April 14, 2021 at 23:54 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 34 km NNE of Skellytown, Texas, at a depth of 7.7 km and coordinates 35.8530°, -101.0077°. The earthquake was reported felt by 116 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.8 (moderate). This earthquake was detected by 21 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 324, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Texas, a region characterized by a mix of natural intraplate seismicity and induced events in the Permian Basin linked to wastewater disposal. View all earthquakes in Texas.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 4.8 (moderate), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Mild shaking, similar to a passing truck. Hanging objects swing. Glasses and dishes may rattle. Not commonly felt outdoors.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 116 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-101.0077°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Skellytown, Texas?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 34 km NNE of Skellytown, Texas on April 14, 2021 at 23:54 UTC had a depth of 7.7 km. It was felt by 116 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.8 (moderate). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.8530°, -101.0077°, which is 34 km NNE of Skellytown, Texas. View all earthquakes in Texas.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Texas had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Texas was the M5.8 Valentine earthquake of August 16, 1931. Today's magnitude 4.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: tx2021hiaf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, April 14, 2021). M4.3 Earthquake 34 km NNE of Skellytown, Texas — April 14, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/tx2021hiaf/