Is El Paso earthquake prone? Mount Franklin fault line active

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The East Mount Franklin fault line in El Paso is active, indicating the possibility of a possible earthquake sometime in the future.

Yesterday, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Acapulco, causing widespread shaking as far as Mexico City, knocking out power for at least one million users and killing one person.

The earthquake made me think about El Paso and how common earthquakes are in our area. It turns out that while earthquakes are not uncommon in our region – many small earthquakes and tremors occur quite often but are usually too mild to be felt in the area.

In March of last year, an earthquake shook the Big Bend region of West Texas. The earthquake shook so many people that they took to social media to report feeling shivering from El Paso to Juarez and even Las Cruces.

It turns out that there are many active fault lines in the El Paso region, especially on the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains. Yes, El Paso is located near the earthquake fault line that runs along the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains that cross over Transontin along Alabama Avenue near northeast of El Paso.

This fault itself is very significant, as it extends from southern New Mexico, south through Texas along the Franklin Mountains and through the Rio Grande along the southeastern edge of the Sierra de Juarez in Chihuahua, Mexico.

The East Franklin Fault appears to be very active as the Franklin Mountains continue to rise as Huiko Paulson sinks, indicating a potential earthquake hazard.

According to Museum2.utep.edu, on average, a 3.0 to 4.0 magnitude earthquake occurs in El Paso every ten years.

The last such earthquake of this type occurred on December 8, 1972, when it struck northeast El Paso with a magnitude of 3.0.

According to the US Geological Survey, if the East Franklin Mountain Fault slipped, it would likely trigger an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or greater in our region.

While this is amazing, we shouldn’t stress it too much because geological evidence shows that a major earthquake occurs along the Franklin Mountains every 5,000 years, or takes a few years.

So, while we may not be seeing any earthquake activity in El Paso anytime soon, it’s always wise to have a preparedness kit on hand that includes emergency food, water, and other essential supplies to survive if possible.

El Paso looks green and lush

Stunning photos taken by El Pasoans in 2021

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