3.8

M3.8 Earthquake 42 km NW of Toyah, TexasMay 10, 2023

2023-05-10 23:20:50 UTC (2023-05-10) · approx. 4:20 PM UTC-7 local

MagnitudeM3.8(ml)
Time23:20 UTC4:20 PM UTC-7
Depth7.2 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates31.530°, -104.164°
Felt by2DYFI responses· max MMI 3.9
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 10, 2023 at 23:20 UTC, a magnitude 3.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km NW of Toyah, Texas, at a depth of 7.2 km and coordinates 31.5298°, -104.1643°. The earthquake was reported felt by 2 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.9 (light).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 7.6 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 252 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 31.53°, -104.16°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M3.8 earthquake near 42 km NW of Toyah, Texas

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 2 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.8 earthquake near 42 km NW of Toyah, Texas

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.8 ml
Depth
7.2 km
shallow crustal
Location
31.5298°N
-104.1643°E
Felt Reports
2
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.9
light
Community Intensity
2.7
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
tx2023jdmd
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
223
Stations Used
43
Azimuthal Gap
65.0°
Min Station Distance
0.058°
RMS Residual
0.10 sec
Last Updated
2023-07-22 19:16:42 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.8 earthquake near Toyah, Texas?

The magnitude 3.8 earthquake that struck 42 km NW of Toyah, Texas on May 10, 2023 at 23:20 UTC had a depth of 7.2 km. It was felt by 2 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.9 (light). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.8 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: tx2023jdmd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 10, 2023). M3.8 Earthquake 42 km NW of Toyah, TexasMay 10, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/tx2023jdmd/