Prepare for major quake Scientists warn Reno Nevada

[CyberGuy]

Reno Urged to Prepare for Big Quake

By MARTIN GRIFFITH,

AP

Posted: 2008-04-26 20:54:38

Filed Under: Nation News, Natural Disaster, Science News

RENO, Nev. (April 26) - Scientists urged Reno residents to prepare for a bigger event as the city kept rumbling Saturday after the largest earthquake in a two-month-long sequence of temblors. More than 100 aftershocks were recorded on the west edge of the city after a magnitude 4.7 quake hit at 11:40 p.m. Friday, the strongest quake around Reno since a 5.2 temblor in 1953, said researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno's seismological laboratory.

The latest quake emptied store shelves, cracked walls in homes and dislodged rocks on hillsides. But there were no reports of major damage or injuries.

Seismologists said the recent activity is unusual because the quakes started out small and continue to build in strength. The normal pattern is for a main quake followed by smaller aftershocks.

"A magnitude 6 quake wouldn't be a scientific surprise," John Anderson, director of the seismological lab in Reno, said Saturday. "We certainly hope residents are taking the threat seriously after last night."

But Anderson stressed there was no way to predict what would happen, and the sequence of temblors also could end without a major quake.

Reno's last major quake measured 6.1 on April 24, 1914, and was felt as far away as Berkeley, Calif., said Craig dePolo, research geologist with the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.

A rockslide triggered by Friday night's quake was blamed for causing a 125-foot breach in a wooden flume that carries water to one of Reno's two water treatment plants.

A backup pump was used to divert water to the plant and the breach was not expected to cause any water shortages, said Aaron Kenneston, Washoe County emergency management officer.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Friday night's quake was centered around Mogul, just west of Reno. The area of upscale homes along the eastern Sierra was rattled by more than 100 quakes the day before, the strongest a magnitude 4.2 that caused high-rise casinos to sway in downtown Reno.

The strongest aftershock measured magnitude 3.7 and was recorded at 12:29 a.m. Saturday.

Mike Lentini of Reno said Friday night's quake felt "like a big truck hit the building" and awakened his family.

"It's the unknown. It's shaking and when's it going to stop?" he said Saturday. "And when stuff starts falling off the shelves it's a whole other ballgame."

Jars of mayonnaise, bottles of ketchup and shampoo fell from shelves at a Wal-Mart store in northwest Reno. Overhead televisions swayed at a sports bar in neighboring Sparks, 11 miles east, where bartender Shawn Jones said the rumble was significantly stronger than Thursday's event.

"The bottles were shaking so I sent everybody outside," he said.

Hundreds of mostly minor quakes have occurred along one or possibly more faults since the sequence of temblors began Feb. 28, said Ken Smith, a seismologist at the Reno laboratory. The quakes have occurred along an area about two miles long and a half-mile wide.

"We can't put a number on it, but the probability of a major earthquake has increased with this sequence," Smith said Saturday. "People need to prepare for ground shaking because there's no way to say how this will play out."

Among other things, scientists urged residents to stock up on water and food, to learn how to turn off water and gas, and to strap down bookshelves, televisions and computers.

"It's getting a little bit frightening," Daryl DiBitonto of Reno told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I'm very concerned about this increase in not only activity but also in magnitude."

The quakes around Reno began a week after a magnitude 6 temblor in the northern Nevada town of Wells, located near the Utah border. The Feb. 21 quake caused an estimated $778,000 in damage to homes, schools and historic downtown buildings, dePolo said.

Scientists said they're unsure whether the seismic activity at opposite sides of Nevada is related.

Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the U.S. behind California and Alaska. The Wells quake was the 15th of at least magnitude 6 in the state's 143-year history.

A 7.4 quake south of Winnemucca in 1915 is the most powerful in state history.

[Amelia]

I would have bet money that Vegas would go first.

[Naomi]

That's not a good thing

[Neil D]

GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD-BYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

California!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CyberGuy]

GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD-BYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

California!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will be next. Scientists say there is a 99.7 percent chance of a major quake within the next 30 years or more. One of a 6.5 or greater.

I think it will be sooner than that.

We had the quake in Oakland that callapsed the bay bridge and callapsed the freeway in Oakland in 1989 7.1

We had the Landers quake a 7.5 in 1992

We had the Northridge quake 6.7 in 1994

Hector Mines Quake 1999 7.0

It has been quiet since then. To quiet.

We have dozens of quakes a week in SoCal

Look at this. You can see the Nevada quakes as well

http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/

[Kountzer]

Earthquakes can and will occur in divers places. They had one or two small shakers here in Texas over the past few weeks. they had a small quake in the Midwest not long ago, that was felt in Chicago. The largest recorded earthquake that occurred in the USA happened in the Midwest, in Missouri. That quake was so strong it made the Mississippi River turn and flow the other way.

DB

[Woody]

They say that California is going to slit in half and become two states with water separating the two. Kinda sounds like some of the factions goin on here on CA. Maybe that would assist us here on CA. Kinda like a time out.

[David Koot]

GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD-BYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

California!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neil!!!! That was not nice at all!!! But yes, I can understand. You WISH you were here enjoying this wonderful State, but you are not. But just think, the State of Jefferson has its good points as well. Enjoy!

Dave

[Woody]

Quote:

State of Jefferson has its good points as well.

IF you like living under-ground !! They are a bunch of pot-heads hiding in the Trinity Alps.

[David Koot]

Yeah, you got that right! I used to work up there. Drug city.

[David Koot]

Of course, pirate cap'n Neil would feel right at home there.

[Woody]

Those who live in the State of Jefferson are some of the most unique people in the world. My son lives there ... I should know. And then to use a backwards segway ... So are those who live in Vegas and Reno.

[Amelia]

Boy, you guys sure can turn a thread faster than I can blink.

[Woody]

We have some great examples out there .... that model for us.

[David Koot]

Hey, this is townhall, Ames! What's the big fuss?

[Woody]

Yep ... I was told ... "If you want to banter ... take it to TownHall" And that was from pretty high up. I was also told that if you banter elsewhere ... you could lose your Club Adventist privileges.

[Amelia]

You guys I am not complaining

[Woody]