Three earthquakes shake university, no damage
Three earthquakes from a 3.0 to a 4.2 magnitude struck the Somersett and Mogul area Thursday afternoon, shaking up the university and Reno area.
The first earthquake happened at 3:47 p.m. with a 4.1 magnitude followed by a 3.0 and the 4.2 at 3:55 p.m., according to the United State Geological Survey in Northern California and the University of Nevada, Reno Seismology Laboratory.
The university sustained no damage, university police said.
The 4.2 earthquake was the strongest felt in Reno since a string of earthquakes began in February, said Diane Depolo, a network seismologist from the seismology laboratory.
“We do live in earthquake country,” she said. “People in (the Sommersett and Mogul areas) are feeling them on a daily basis and they’re getting nervous.”
The recent earthquakes have been centralized in the Mogul area, worrying locals who are wondering if Reno is in for a more devastating earthquake.
Regardless of the activity, no one can predict if there will be more activity and at what magnitude, Depolo said
University police sent an e-mail to students saying, “we are due for a 6.0 or greater earthquake,” according to the Nevada Earthquake Safety Council.
“I don’t know where they’re getting the 6.0 from,” Depolo said. “We can have a magnitude six in the state but say it with a big grain of salt. We don’t want to make a mass exodus of Reno.”
Depolo and UNRPD said Washoe valley residents should be prepared for something, nonetheless.
What to Do When the Shaking Begins:
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Take cover under a piece of furniture or against an inside wall.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit.
- Stay away from windows.
- In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
- If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow and move any heavy objects above your bed now incase something happens.
- If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
- If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place (as described above). Stay in the car until the shaking stops
- Secure loose objects like dishes and valuables, filing cabinets or shelves
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on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 5:44 pm and is filed under Breaking News, News.
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