Powerful Earthquake Strikes Nevada, Felt In California And Utah

Authorities in western Nevada checked for possible highway damage following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in a remote area early Friday. The temblor, which was reported at 4:03 a.m., and was felt in neighboring states.

The U.S. Geological Service reported the temblor was detected about 35 miles west of Tonopah and just east of the Sierra Nevada range. The quake was upgraded after being initially reported at 6.4-magnitude.

The initial quake struck about 4.7 miles deep, the USGS said, and dozens of aftershocks were recorded in the next three hours, including two with estimated magnitudes of 4.9.

There were no immediate reports of injury, but part of U.S. 95 was closed as state troopers and sheriff's deputies from Esmeralda and Mineral counties checked that highway and State Route 360 for possible damage, the Mineral County sheriff's office said.

The Esmeralda County Sheriff's Office posted photos to Facebook showing damage to the highway.

The Nye County sheriff's office was also checking a report of possible damage to U.S. 95, Capt. David Boruchowitz told KSNV-TV in Las Vegas. "Other than that, just a bunch of people shaken up."

The quake occurred in a remote area of the state between Reno and Las Vegas. 

"It really shook a lot of groceries off the shelves," Keith Hasty, an employee at a gas station in Tonopah, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Hasty said residents who frequented the store were all talking about the quake.

"We have a lot of locals coming in saying their TVs were shaking, they felt it," said Hasty. "No damage that I've heard of. My boss just called and said his garage shook."

Still, one resident in Tonopah posted on Twitter that the quake "scared us to death."

First published on May 15, 2020 / 7:38 AM

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