More than 100 earthquakes have been detected in a region of Nevada where the earth is slowly splitting apart.
The seismic activity kicked off with a 5.7-magnitude quake, striking at 6.30pm local time (9.30pm ET) on Monday, triggering dozens of tremors since. The latest, a magnitude 2.0, was recorded Tuesday morning.
More than 6,100 people reported shaking following the largest earthquake.
Many locals said their homes were shaking as the 5.7 magnitude quake hit, and images were shared from a Walmart in Fallon, showing items scattered and broken on the floor. No significant damage or injuries have been reported.
The epicenter, near Silver Lake, lies in the Basin and Range Province, a vast region stretching across much of the western US.
In this area, the Earth’s crust is gradually being stretched and thinned, creating frequent faulting and seismic activity.
As the crust pulls apart, fractures known as faults form, and movement along these faults produces earthquakes.
The epicenter is also located in the Walker Lane seismic zone, a highly active area where tectonic plates pull apart land, creating numerous strike-slip faults.
Many locals said their homes were shaking as the 5.7 magnitude quake hit, and images were shared from a Walmart in Fallon, showing items scattered and broken on the floor. No significant damage or injuries have been reported
Shaking from the strongest earthquake was reported across much of western Nevada, including Reno, as well as in parts of Northern California.
Reports suggested that dozens of aftershocks hit within minutes of the initial quake.
Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as aftershocks remain possible in the coming hours.
Multiple earthquakes in Silver Lake can be caused by several factors, but the most common reason is movement along faults, which are fractures in the Earth’s crust where blocks of rock slip past each other.
When stress builds up in the crust and is suddenly released, it creates earthquakes. Another cause can be regional tectonic activity.
Because Nevada sits in an area where the Earth’s crust is stretching and pulling apart, this stretching creates frequent faulting and seismic activity.
In some cases, aftershocks can occur after a larger earthquake, producing a series of smaller quakes over days or weeks.
Occasionally, human activity can trigger earthquakes, such as geothermal energy operations, mining or underground fluid injection.
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Nevada in 2020 (pictured), which was likely caused by the Basin and Ridge Province cracking and stretching. The latest seismic activity was detected in Silver Lake, which also resides in the same region
The seismic activity kicked off with a 5.7-magnitude quake, striking at 6.30pm local time (9.30pm ET) on Monday, triggering dozens of tremors since
However, most earthquakes in Nevada are naturally occurring.
Volcanic or geothermal processes can also cause tremors, especially if underground heat and fluids are moving, though this is less common than tectonic causes.
Nevada is the nation’s third-most seismically active state, ranking after California and Alaska.
