A string of recent earthquakes has hit the Mogul area and the biggest so far arrived early Saturday, reaching magnitude 3.0.
The earthquake at 2:07 a.m. followed a swarm of magnitude 1.2 to 2.2 quakes between Feb. 28 and Monday.
"Following any sequence of earthquakes similar to what has been observed in the west Reno area over the past nine days, there is a slight increase in the probability of larger magnitude events; however, the occurrence of additional earthquake activity in the Mogul area cannot be predicted or forecast," the Nevada Seismological Laboratory said in a statement.
Be prepared
It said Nevadans always should be prepared for strong earthquakes and notes Nevada is the third most active state for earthquakes.
A Reno Police Department sergeant reported it was so minor it wasn't even enough to be listed in the watch log.
Somersett Country Club golf pro Stuart Smith said it woke him and his wife, but he knows of no damage.
"The lamps were shaking on the dresser," Smith said. "I've been in some earthquakes before down in Southern California, so any time it rumbles I get a little nervous. You never know if it's going to continue going or if it's going to stop like it did early this morning."
Epicenter: Local man's driveway
On Monday, a 2.0 quake hit with its epicenter in the driveway of James Draper's Raccoon Court home, according to coordinates available on the U.S. Geological Survey Web site.
"I don't think I felt that one," Draper said Saturday, but he did feel Saturday's quake.
The recent swarm of small quakes has done no damage at his home.
"No cracks or nothing that I'm aware of," Draper said. "Luckily, our house is pretty well built."
These quakes were not necessary to remind him that Nevada is the nation's third most seismically active state.
"I've always been aware of that," Draper said. "I grew up in Southern California. Earthquakes are nothing new."
Quake awakes couple
Saturday's quake hit nine-tenths of a mile from the Somersett home of Brian Bishop-Parise.
"That was a little too close for comfort," Bishop-Parise said. "It woke up both the wife and I simultaneously, and I'm a heavy sleeper."
His first thought was that it was caused by blasting for a new road being built near Somersett.
The recent spate of quakes does cause some concern for him.
"We've been there over three and half years now, and it's the first time I can remember feeling that," Bishop-Parise said. "The concern is really, what is it and why now? The concern is the unknown factor."
The swarm of tiny quakes began a week after a strong earthquake hit the town of Wells in northeast Nevada on Feb. 21. That 6.0 temblor, the strongest in Nevada in 14 years, caused widespread damage to Wells' downtown area.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter