What happened: If you felt something rumbling on Friday afternoon, you weren’t alone. Many Midland residents felt a small earthquake around 11:15 a.m. on Friday, March 27. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 2.8 quake about a half mile south of Loop 250 and Todd Road, near the Way Retreat Center.

The big picture: The quake originated at a depth of roughly 19,500 feet. Oil and gas activity in Midland County typically occurs at shallower depths of 7,000 to 11,000 feet, making this event deeper than most induced seismicity events. While the quake was minor, it produced noticeable shaking for some residents.

Go deeper: This marks the eighth earthquake above magnitude 2.0 inside Loop 250 over the past three years. For context, earthquakes below 2.0 are usually not felt. Magnitude 2.0–2.9 events may be noticed indoors by a few people but rarely cause damage. Quakes between 3.0 and 3.9 are considered minor and may be felt more widely, while damage typically begins at magnitudes of 4.0 and higher.