Origin time 11:40:25 UTC Depth 10 km (6.2 mi) Max. intensity VIII (Severe) | Magnitude 6.5 Mw Type Oblique-slip | |
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Date August 16, 1931 (1931-08-16) | ||
The 1931 Valentine earthquake occurred on August 16 with a moment magnitude of 6.5 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). Though no casualties were reported, the rupture caused damage to many homes and buildings in the town of Valentine. It remains the most powerful earthquake in the state of Texas.
DamageEdit
Every building in the town excluding those made from wood frames sustained damage. Chimneys also toppled or cracked following the quake. The local school facility was damaged beyond repair, and its yard sustained minor cracks. Buildings built with adobe had walls collapse, while wooden structures displayed cracked ceilings. Other walls consisting of concrete, brick, and similar materials had large cracks. Tombstones were reported to have been rotated somewhere within the town. Damage also occurred in the counties of Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio.
Several episodes of landslides resulted from the tremor. Such incidents took place in the Van Horn Mountains, the Chisos Mountains, southwest of Lobo, near the Big Bend, and to the northwest near Pilares and Porvenir. In New Mexico, the Guadalupe Mountains also hosted landslides; in Picacho, rock and mudslides were reported. Hydrologic issues occurred in several artificial water bodies, leading to muddied water.