SNYDER— ScurryCounty Judge Dan Hicks has declared a disaster and is requesting assistance from the state after one of the strongest earthquakes in Texas history caused damage across the area Friday morning, July 26, 2024, about 9:28 a.m.
Residents throughout the newspaper readership area reported on social media that they had experienced vibrations lasting from a couple of seconds to twelve seconds, rattling dishes in kitchens and shaking floors.
According to the USGS, a 5.1-magnitude quake occurred east of Snyder, northeast of Hermleigh. It was felt about 80 miles to the northwest in Lubbock, and across parts of the South Plains and West Texas. On the Modified Mercallit (MMI) intensity scale, the USGS shows a VI-Strong rating. There were also aftershocks of 3.2 at 9:40 a.m. and 2.7 at 10:44 a.m.
The events ranks sixth in intensity on the list of Texas earthquakes recorded by EarthquakeTrack.com.
Saturday afternoon, a 4.5 quake also shook Hermleigh.
Over the past week there have now been dozens of earthquakes across Scurry and Fisher counties.
Judge Hicks said Scurry County has experienced 61 earthquakes in the last seven days. “Since the first earthquake that was felt on July 22, 2024 at about 9:38 PM, a 4.9, and a 4.4 at about 9:46 PM to today’s 5.0 at about 9:28 AM July
TEXAS TOP TEN QUAKES BY INTENSITY
Source: WFAA.com, using USGS data compiled from EarthquakeTrack.com
1. Aug. 16, 1931, Fort Davis - 6.5 magnitude 2. April 14, 1995, Alpine - 5.7 magnitude 3. Nov. 16, 2022, Mentone - 5.4 magnitude 4. Dec. 16, 2022, Midland - 5.4 magnitude 5. Nov. 8, 2023, Mentone - 5.2 magnitude
6.July26,2024,Hermleigh-5.1magnitude 7. March 26, 2020, Mentone - 5.0 magnitude 8. July 22, 2024, Hermleigh - 4.9 magnitude 9. Oct. 20, 2011, Karnes City - 4.8 magnitude 10. May 17, 2012,Timpson - 4.8 magnitude
26, 2024, damage has been found throughout Scurry County in businesses and residences,” Hicks wrote on Facebook on Friday.
He said emergency management coordinator Jay Callaway is working closely with the Texas Department of Emergency Management to monitor the damage throughout Scurry County and the surrounding area.
