Texas is not your typical state that makes headlines for earthquakes. Certainly not like the west coast or even the western half of the United States. Although history shows they happen in general patterns every year, earthquakes can occur anywhere and at any time.

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This includes Texas. In fact, according to Volcano Discovery, there have been 65 earthquakes within the Abilene area alone in the past year with the most recent one in Texas only 7 days ago. Chances are you probably didn't feel many of those. That's because most of them had a low magnitude of only 2.0 or so. However, that's not always been the case in Texas.

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The Texas Almanac states the most powerful earthquake to hit Texas was on August 16th, 1931. It shook the town of Valentine, Texas. You'll find Valentine in the far west portion of Texas. The magnitude? 6.0. Fortunately there were no fatalities and only minor injuries from falling debris. Cracked walls and fallen chimneys were reported from miles around. As a matter of fact, 1,000,000 square kilometers of Texas felt the effects of this earthquake. The short video below tells the history of quakes in Texas and how they're ramping up.

Although I've never experienced a full-blown earthquake, I have felt a minor one. It definitely got my attention once I realized what I was experiencing.

There is only one known death due to an earthquake in Texas. It took place on March 7th, 1923. The quake caused an adobe house to collapse leading to the suffocation of a man. In certain situations, earthquakes can certainly be deadly. Even in Texas. The key is being prepared. There are many resources to get you and your home better secured.

Earthquakes in Texas are just the tip of the iceberg. Tornados are also a real threat and there are plenty of them. Just look below to see the destruction that has happened since 1900.

These are the 10 Deadliest Tornadoes to Have Struck Texas Since 1900

Tornadoes are nothing new to us in East Texas or throughout the state of Texas. Being on the bottom end of Tornado Alley means we've seen some powerful tornadoes strike in our state.