Denton County residents may have felt a slight shake late Thursday night because of a small earthquake that was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The organization registered a 2.2-scale earthquake approximately two miles north of Northlake in Denton County. The quake occurred at a depth of about 2 miles below the Earth’s surface.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are typically not damaging and are often barely detectable. Michigan Tech University reports that millions of earthquakes, magnitude 2.5 or weaker, occur annually throughout the United States and are usually not felt.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded a much more powerful magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck near Mexico City on the same day. Footage captured the nearby landscape before and after the quake, including audio of the rumbling as it shook structures. The earthquake created no immediate damage, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Thursday’s incident is not the only recent earthquake to strike Texas. The USGS recorded four temblors in and around Loving County, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 5.2 in November, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. No injuries or structural damage were reported.
The strongest tremor in the vicinity of Love County hit in the early morning and was followed by three weaker aftershocks over several hours. The quake’s epicenter was about 23 miles southwest of Mentone and about 405 miles west of the DFW area.
NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization are preparing to launch the NISAR satellite, which will monitor Earth’s natural movements and geology, including earthquakes.
