On Feb. 21, 2008 there was a moderately powerful earthquake of 6.3 near Wells, Nevada. Naturally that was followed by many aftershocks. But now geologists are wondering if something unusual may be underway, especially as the quakes seem to have migrated toward populous Reno, Nevada.
Sometimes moderately large quakes are foreshocks of a really big one.
Reno urged to prepare for worse as earthquakes continue. By Martin Griffith. Associated Press.
Update. April 30. Scientists seek clues as Reno earthquakes keep shaking. By Sandra Chereb. Associated Press.
Nevada has hundreds of mountain ranges. Most of them are classic fault block uplifts. There are thousands of active faults.
Monitor earthquakes around the world as they happen at USGS World Earthquake page.
Note: most of southern Idaho (where I live) felt the Wells quake quite distinctly.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan's Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of "Hiking Idaho." He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.
