Numerous aftershocks are continuing after a magnitude 5.49 earthquake about 17 miles southwest of Fallon early Monday evening.
The Nevada Seismological Laboratory says the 6:29 p.m. temblor was followed by a series of aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.09 to 3.71, all in roughly the same area. The NSL says aftershocks could continue for the next couple of days.
Crews may even be out measuring the aftershocks to document what could become a new fault.
“That’s gonna allow us to pick up a lot of that activity that comes in the next days and weeks and help us refine that fault structure, because we don’t have a name for this fault,” said Khristie Rowe, Professor/Director, Nevada Seismological Laboratory. “We suspected there were faults in this valley, but this one doesn’t actually have a name, it’s not known to science, so it’s gonna be a new one we can add to the map after this event.”
Lyon County Emergency Management says that initial reports indicate no significant damage or injuries from the quake, but out of caution, response crews will continue conducting comprehensive damage assessments throughout Lyon County over the next several days.
The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office similarly reports no major damage and no injuries.
People in Fallon told us the quake felt bigger than what is being reported.
“We ran out of the house, and we were all panicking and worried,” said Fallon resident Samuel Wilking. “So, we were all saying to get out of the house, and we get outside, and you just see the tree shaking. My car was shaking. You know, it was like one of those few earthquakes where you just really feel the whole ground just going like this the whole time.”
