Midland, December 17: One of the strongest earthquakes in Texas history struck Friday evening in a western region of the state that's home to oil and fracking activity. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor had a magnitude of 5.4 and struck at 5:35 p.m., local time. It was centered about 14 miles (22 kilometers) north-northwest of Midland, with a depth of about 5.6 miles (9 kilometers). The service had previously issued a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 before updating it. Earthquake Adds New Hurdle to Slowing Texas Oil Output Gains.

In the interim, the National Weather Services office in Midland tweeted that it “would be the 4th strongest earthquake in Texas state history!”

Geophysicist Jana Pursley at the USGS's National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado said that according to early reports received by the agency, the quake was felt by more than 1,500 people over a large distance from Amarillo and Abilene in Texas to as far west as Carlsbad, New Mexico.

“It's a sizable earthquake for that region," Pursley said, adding, “In that region such an event will be felt for a couple of hundred miles.” The quake was followed shortly after by a less-intense aftershock, and Pursley said there could be more going forward with declining magnitude. Earthquake in Himachal Pradesh: Quake of Magnitude 3.4 Jolts Kinnaur District.

Earthquake Jolts Camera

"I haven't received any information about damages but it can crack stucco or driveways close to epicenter,” she added. A quake of similar magnitude struck West Texas last month. That Nov. 16 temblor was measured at 5.3 and had an epicenter about 95 miles (153 kilometers) west of Midland.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)