Numerous aftershocks are being felt across parts of Northern Nevada after a 5.8 magnitude quake struck 16 miles north northeast of Yerington Monday afternoon.
The USGS says the temblor hit at 3:08 p.m. and was followed within minutes by additional quakes that have continued since then.
The agency reports, at time of this writing, the area has experienced nearly 160 earthquakes, most occurring Monday and early Tuesday.
The Seismological Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno says we will feel aftershocks over the next couple of weeks. Central Nevada is prone to bigger earthquakes so they were not surprised by this, but they are keeping an eye on things in the area.
“In Reno, we have big fault lines that right right through the city and Mt. Rose fault is one of the faults we keep a close eye on. There’s also big faults in the Lake Tahoe area, we feel a lot of earthquakes from them. They’re certainly capable of generating earthquakes in the 6 to 7 range and that’s what we’re trying prepare for and be ready for,” says Professor Christie Rowe, Director, Nevada Seismological Laboratory.
UNR says the quake was felt as far as San Francisco and has recorded at least 32 aftershocks, with more expected “perhaps lasting weeks.”
UNR released this additional information on Tuesday morning:
The earthquake occurred at about 11.5 kilometers or 7 miles depth in a fault zone known as the Wabuska Lineament. It was a left-lateral strike slip earthquake. The Wabuska Lineament is one of a cluster of northeast-striking faults in the mountains east of Reno. Earthquakes like this have been occurring in this region, known as the Walker Lane Shear Zone, which follows the California-Nevada border, for millions of years. The Pacific tectonic plate is moving northwest relative to the North American tectonic plate, and while most of that takes place along the San Andreas fault, it also causes deformation farther east in the crust of western Nevada creating the complex web of faults in the Walker Lane.
Shaking was even felt in the 2 News Nevada newsroom. You can watch the clip below –
There’s no immediate word on any injuries or damage.
Anyone who felt the earthquake is requested to fill out a form on the U.S. Geological Survey website indicating the intensity of shaking at their location.
The Nevada Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with local and state partners to assess the impacts of the quake.
