Texas earthquakes

M4.4 earthquake 35 km NW of Toyah, Texas

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck 35 km NW of Toyah, Texas on Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 6:25 AM CST (12:25 UTC), 9 km (5 mi) below the surface.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 4.4 (ml), light
Local time: Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 6:25 AM CST
UTC: 2021-12-16 12:25:25 UTC
Depth: 8.5 km (5.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 31.565° N, 104.030° W
Region: Texas
Felt reports: 12
Strongest shaking: V, moderate shaking
PAGER alert: Green
Tsunami flag: No
Status: Reviewed by a seismologist

Shaking

The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.

Strongest estimated: V, moderate shaking
Peak ground acceleration: 6.3% of gravity
Peak ground velocity: 0.4 cm/s
Map: Automatic

USGS ShakeMap: estimated shaking intensity around the epicenter — Estimated shaking intensity. Map: USGS ShakeMap.

Did you feel it?

12 people reported to the USGS what they felt; the strongest reported shaking was IV, light shaking.

Did You Feel It? map: shaking reported by the public — Shaking reported by the public, by area. Map: USGS Did You Feel It?

Estimated impact

The USGS PAGER system estimates deaths and economic losses from the shaking and the population and buildings exposed to it.

Alert level: Green: little or no damage or loss of life expected

Deaths: estimated chance of each range
Range	Chance
Under 1	65%
1 to 10	30%
10 to 100	4%
100 to 1,000	Under 1%
1,000 to 10,000	Under 1%
10,000 to 100,000	Under 1%
100,000 to 10,000,000	Under 1%

Economic losses: estimated chance of each range
Range, million USD	Chance
Under 1	65%
1 to 10	30%
10 to 100	4%
100 to 1,000	Under 1%
1,000 to 10,000	Under 1%
10,000 to 100,000	Under 1%
100,000 to 10,000,000	Under 1%

Fault motion and ground failure

How the rock slipped, from the moment tensor, and the USGS estimate of landslides and liquefaction.

Faulting: Oblique normal
Nodal plane 1: Strike 98°, dip 27°, rake -123°
Nodal plane 2: Strike 314°, dip 68°, rake -75°

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 0.9 km horizontally, 0.8 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.20
Station coverage gap: 60°
Stations used: 19

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: at least 199 in the 60 days after this one and 161 in the 30 days before it.

After

The first 60 of at least 199.

Before

Earthquakes today Texas earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event tx2021yope (also filed as us6000gcrp). Read Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 3:27 AM UTC.