WE COULD BE FEELING MORE EARTHQUAKES IN NEW MEXICO. THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SAYS WE’RE AMONG THE FIVE STATES MOST LIKELY TO SEE AN INCREASE IN SEISMIC ACTIVITY DUE TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.
UNM ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF GEOPHYSICS, BRANDON SCHMANDT, SAYS WE HAVE BEEN SEEING MORE QUAKES IN RECENT YEARS. HE SAYS MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN SMALLER QUAKES, WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR NEW MEXICO.
SCHMANDT SAYS MOST OF THE ACTIVITY HAS BEEN AROUND THE RATON BASIN, STRADDLING THE NEW MEXICO-COLORADO BORDER. BUT THERE ARE ALMOST NO EARTHQUAKES IN NORTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO WHERE THERE’S A LOT OF OIL DRILLING.
