I've brought up a few times on Twitter that I'm living in an earthquake zone. Northwest Reno has become a source of intersts for seismologists around the world thanks to the earthquake swarm that has hit. According to the news we've had over 5000 earthquakes (from itsy bitsy to 4.7 magnitude) since late February.
Lucky me to live on the end of town that feels all the quakes that can be felt. This evening the earth has been rumbling all night. We just had a 3.8 (according to the news) after I started this post.
Let me just say that with 5000 earthquakes I haven't been sleeping all that well for the better part of those two months.
I'm concerned and fearful because darn if I don't live on the edge of mountains that got here thanks to earthquakes. I try to tell myself the largest known quake in Nevada was 7.2 and that is 900 times less powerful than the Good Friday Earthquake in southcentral Alaska. My grandfather's house survived Alaska's quake with a few cracks in the bricks in the basement. But then again, when the 4.7 hit Reno two weeks ago and mother nature popped my butt up off the couch several inches I was a complete adrenalin maniac 10 hours later. I managed to get to work without driving off the road but people had to remind me to do things like clock in I was such a basketcase.
I suppose I am nervous in part because ever since I first became aware of the messy geology of the desert Southwest, I've often looked at mountains and other rock features and decided I am thankful I wasn't there the day the whole thing went crashing up or down or sideways or whichever way God felt like pushing rock that day.
The mountains above are actually just to the north of Las Vegas, Nevada. You can see in the picture this mountainous area has a dramatic example that what was once a flat plain that accumulated sediment for eons can suddenly shoot up at a "40" degree angle. I am under the impression the forces required to make adjustments like that build up over time and then one day ... kapowie.
Wasn't it lucky that mountain was created prior to human habitation of North America because though the results are lovely, I'm sure it was not a lovely day in Nevada.
U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Hazards Program (Northern California)
http://quake.usgs.gov/
Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada
All Earthquakes on Index Map
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes0.html
Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada
Big Earthquakes on Index Map
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes.big.html
The event pages include .kml files that can be opened and you can see on Google Earth where the quake was located. Here is where this evening's happened. I'm not familiar with this neighborhood but when quakes have hit my own I can walk by the tree the fault is located under and think "not now, not now".
Lucky me to live on the end of town that feels all the quakes that can be felt. This evening the earth has been rumbling all night. We just had a 3.8 (according to the news) after I started this post.
Let me just say that with 5000 earthquakes I haven't been sleeping all that well for the better part of those two months.
I'm concerned and fearful because darn if I don't live on the edge of mountains that got here thanks to earthquakes. I try to tell myself the largest known quake in Nevada was 7.2 and that is 900 times less powerful than the Good Friday Earthquake in southcentral Alaska. My grandfather's house survived Alaska's quake with a few cracks in the bricks in the basement. But then again, when the 4.7 hit Reno two weeks ago and mother nature popped my butt up off the couch several inches I was a complete adrenalin maniac 10 hours later. I managed to get to work without driving off the road but people had to remind me to do things like clock in I was such a basketcase.
I suppose I am nervous in part because ever since I first became aware of the messy geology of the desert Southwest, I've often looked at mountains and other rock features and decided I am thankful I wasn't there the day the whole thing went crashing up or down or sideways or whichever way God felt like pushing rock that day.
The mountains above are actually just to the north of Las Vegas, Nevada. You can see in the picture this mountainous area has a dramatic example that what was once a flat plain that accumulated sediment for eons can suddenly shoot up at a "40" degree angle. I am under the impression the forces required to make adjustments like that build up over time and then one day ... kapowie.
Wasn't it lucky that mountain was created prior to human habitation of North America because though the results are lovely, I'm sure it was not a lovely day in Nevada.
Resources
U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Hazards Program (Northern California)
http://quake.usgs.gov/
Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada
All Earthquakes on Index Map
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes0.html
Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada
Big Earthquakes on Index Map
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes.big.html
The event pages include .kml files that can be opened and you can see on Google Earth where the quake was located. Here is where this evening's happened. I'm not familiar with this neighborhood but when quakes have hit my own I can walk by the tree the fault is located under and think "not now, not now".
I heard about this and don;t blame you for being jumpy. Were it in my area, I wouldn't be sleeping either. Here's hoping you are safe should anything major happen! (((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteThanks. This past few days things have been quiet.
ReplyDelete