Check This Out, Gonzales County Quake 2.8 on the Richter Scale

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Gonzales County just got another earthquake!

Last night, folks in Smiley might have frowned a bit when they felt a little rattle as a 2.8 magnitude earthquake shook their quaint town, roughly 55 miles away from Victoria.

When was the last Gonzales County earthquake?

Check this out, according to Volcano Discovery, during the past month, Gonzales had 5 quakes of magnitude 2.0 or above, and additionally, there were also 5 quakes below magnitude 2.0 as well.

That seems like a lot of seismic activity right outside our door!

In fact, several quakes were reported in Texas alone within the last 24 hours.

According to ABC13, "Earlier in the day Tuesday, seismic events were also reported near Mentone in Loving County and in the Midland area. Both of those quakes registered 2.6 magnitudes on the Richter scale."

 What was the biggest earthquake in Gonzales County this year?

In April, a 3.3 magnitude earthquake shook the region and prior to that, a 3.3 magnitude quake rattled Gonzales County in February as well. Three months ago, 21 earthquakes were reported in that area so it looks as though Gonzales County might continue to be a high seismic activity area for Texas throughout 2021.

At that time we had written an article detailing why the area might be seeing high seismic occurrences. You can read that article in detail below.

Are these earthquakes caused by recent fracking?

According to the article above, written by Townsquare DJ, JP,  " While earthquakes are not directly caused by hydraulic fracturing (fracking), the two are connected. The recent increase in earthquakes is primarily caused by the disposal of waste fluids that are a byproduct of oil production.

How does the disposal of fracking wastewater cause earthquakes?

Again, we turn to JP who offers, "Wastewater disposal wells typically operate for longer durations and inject much more fluid than is injected during the hydraulic fracturing process, making them more likely to induce earthquakes. 

Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Thankfully, no injuries have been reported at this time. The United States Geological Survey offers that minor earthquakes ( 2.0 to 2.9) will likely only feel like a quick jolt followed by several small jolts afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can check out the most frequently asked earthquake questions at the United States Geological Survey by clicking here.

It's fascinating stuff!

Here is more fascinating weather stuff as a BONUS! Read on!