UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported
Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal
Update, 7:46 p.m. 3/21/2020
Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor.
Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.
Update, 7:40 p.m.
The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab.
It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike.
"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that."
Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow.
None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel.
Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults.
It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.
That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.
"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.
Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.
Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said.
"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics."
Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday.
Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today.
Update, 7:16 p.m.
The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it.
Original story
The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake
Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location.
Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks.
There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time.
Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher.
"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks.
Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year.
In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock.
The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported
QUAKEBOT REPORT
Magnitude 3.2 earthquake hits Carson City, Nev.
The location and shaking intensity of a magnitude 3.2 earthquake Saturday evening in Carson City, Nev.
(Los Angeles Times)
A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday at 7:53 p.m. Pacific time in Carson City, Nev., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev., 15 miles from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 18 miles from Reno, Nev., and 24 miles from Truckee, Calif.
In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes 3.0 to 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 5.03 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.
The quake had a depth of slightly more than 5 miles and residents in Sacramento and Stockton reported feeling it.
Minor damage was reported, according to the Carson City sheriff, who spoke to the Reno Gazette-Journal Friday night. Gas to one building was shut off as a precaution, according to the paper.
Did anyone else feel that earthquake? USGS reports a moderate 5.0 earthquake located 3.1 miles east of Indian Hills, Nevada. We felt it at the office for a second. Here is a link to the USGS site. https://t.co/Z3M9OV9H0r #CAwx— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) March 21, 2020
Ken Smith, a manager at the Nevada Seismology Lab, said the region was known to be active and has been struck by several quake swarms.
“The earthquake is in an area that has experienced earthquake swarm behavior, on-and-off, for several years,” he said. “There have been about two dozen ongoing small aftershocks.”
UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reportedSam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal
Update, 7:46 p.m. 21/3/2020
Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor.
Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.
The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab.
It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike.
"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that."
Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow.
None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel.
Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults.
It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.
That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.
"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.
Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.
Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said.
"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics."
Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday.
Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today.
Update, 7:16 p.m.
The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it.
Original story
The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake
Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location.
Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks.
There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time.
Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher.
"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks.
Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year.
In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock.
The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported
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