There have been a few aftershocks for todays earthquake detected on our seismic network. The largest, with magnitude 3.8, occurred at 10:42 PM PST. We are also continuing to record small aftershocks from the Nov. 2 earthquake in northern Fish Lake Valley, CA (M=5.3), and had one this morning from the Nov. 5 (M=4.2) earthquake near Quincy,CA. Also, the Mammoth Lakes area remains more active than average.
Todays earthquake was in an area where earthquakes are to be expected. Yesterdays earthquake is probably a large, belated aftershock of the Eureka Valley earthquake, May 17, 1993, M=6.1. Yesterday evenings event extends the aftershock zone towards the north.
Via its web pages, the Seismological Laboratory has received one felt report from the Hawthorne, Nevada area so far for yesterdays earthquake. News reports indicate that it was felt in the Bishop area, and we would expect that it was felt throughout the northern Owens Valley. The Seismological Laboratory has not received any reports of damage at this time.
The data reported here are preliminary. For more information, contact the Seismological Laboratory at (702) 784-4975, or at the WWW site http://www.seismo.unr.edu . The free pamphlet Earthquakes in Nevada and How to Survive Them, is available on request.
The earthquake was not preceded by any foreshocks. Also, there have not yet been any aftershocks for todays earthquake strong enough to detect on our seismic network.
Todays earthquake was in an area where earthquakes are to be expected. The Mohawk Valley Fault Zone is an active fault from the geological viewpoint. An earthquake on April 29, 1888, with magnitude estimated at 5.9, may have been centered on this fault perhaps a little south of the location of todays event. Todays earthquake is not related to the magnitude 5.4 earthquake that occurred at 12:51 AM this past Sunday (November 2, 1997), in northern Fish Lake Valley, Nevada, about 60 miles west-southwest of Tonopah, Nevada.
The Seismological Laboratory has received felt reports for todays earthquake from Truckee, Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Sierra City, Downieville, Susanville, Herlong, Portola, Bordertown and Stead as well as throughout the Reno-Sparks region. The Seismological Laboratory has not received any reports of damage at this time.
The data reported here are preliminary. For more information, contact the Seismological Laboratory at (702) 784-4975, or at the WWW site http://www.seismo.unr.edu . The free pamphlet Earthquakes in Nevada and How to Survive Them, is available on request.
The earthquake was preceded by a relatively strong foreshock (M=4.2) at 12:34 AM. The area had also become more active with very small earthquakes over the past week or so. Dirk Andrews, the Fire Chief for Fish Lake Valley, reported to the Seismological Laboratory that for the past week, rumbles were heard in the White Mountains - possibly an earthquake sound phenomenon caused by tiny shocks moving the surface of the ground like a loudspeaker. There is a strong aftershock sequence for todays earthquake. AT 1:00 PM, we were still recording over 100 small aftershocks per hour on our nearest station. The two largest aftershocks so far were at 7:02 AM (M=4.6) and 8:22 AM (M=4.2).
Todays earthquake was in an area where earthquakes are to be expected. The Fish Lake Valley Fault Zone, and several other faults near the location of todays earthquake, are quite active from the geological viewpoint. The Eureka Valley earthquake, May 17, 1993, M=6.1, was about 50 miles southeast of todays earthquake.
Todays earthquake is the largest event that has occurred in Nevada since the Double Spring Flat earthquake on September 12, 1994. That earthquake, magnitude 6.0, located 12 miles south-southeast of Gardnerville, was widely felt throughout the Reno-Carson City area. The Seismological Laboratory has received felt reports for todays earthquake from locations as far as Tonopah and Fallon, Nevada, and Fresno, California. The Seismological Laboratory has not received any reports of damage at this time.
The data reported here are preliminary. For more information, contact the Seismological Laboratory at (702) 784-4975, or at the WWW site http://www.seismo.unr.edu . The free pamphlet Earthquakes in Nevada and How to Survive Them, is available on request.
