By Chris Sorensen

The United State Geological Survey has recorded an earthquake in New Mexico measuring 4.0 of the Richter Scale. The USGS had originally reported the quake as 4.5 on the scale in intial information received 45 minutes after the event occurred.

The quake occurred just after 12:30 p.m. Friday, and was located about 50 miles southwest of Trinidad, Colorado. Damage reports have not been received, however 21 people reported they felt the quake to the USGS.

The area experiences frequent earthquakes, typically measuring between 2 and 3 on scale. A 2.5 quake on the Colorado-New Mexico occurred near today’s temblor December 6, and at least 14 have been recorded in the area since the start of 2016. Five of those occur on the Colorado side of the border, and seven more were recorded within 10 miles of the border.

At least 14 earthquakes have been recorded in Colorado this year.

According to the US Geological Survey, there is evidence that some central and eastern North America earthquakes have been triggered or caused by human activities that have altered the stress conditions in earth's crust sufficiently to induce faulting.

Activities that have induced felt earthquakes in some geologic environments have included impoundment of water behind dams, injection of fluid into the earth's crust, extraction of fluid or gas, and removal of rock in mining or quarrying operations.

Even within areas with many human-induced earthquakes, however, the activity that seems to induce seismicity at one location may be taking place at many other locations without inducing felt earthquakes.