Nevada and California jolted by series of earthquakes as locals suspect volcanic activity
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Nevada was hit by a swarm of earthquakes on Wednesday.
Nevada was shaken by a swarm of earthquakes on Wednesday, and the shockwaves reached as far as California. Several smaller tremors have shaken the area for days now, locals say, and some of them suspect a volcano could be stirring.
California and Nevada were rocked by a series of earthquakes on Wednesday, with shockwaves felt over several hundred kilometres. The swarm struck at 10:23 am PT near Silver Springs, Nevada, and at least four magnitude 2.6 to 4.8 tremors were reported from Carson City in Nevada. People as far as outside of Sacramento, California, felt the shocks. Silver Springs has been witnessing earthquakes for a week now, as locals said they believe a volcano could be brewing under the ground. "It's the same area that's been rocking us the past week. It's not stopping; I fear volcanic activity," a post on Facebook stated. Nevada is home to several volcanoes, most considered either extinct or dormant. However, experts say that the Soda Lakes volcano near Fallon, which formed in the last 6,000 years, is the prime candidate for eruptions in the near future. It consists of two explosive craters and volcanic cones.
Earthquake in California
Nevada residents reported feeling the ground shake for several seconds after the 4.8 magnitude quake struck, which was preceded by a cluster of smaller tremors. "Our house shook pretty good. It lasted longer than most do.' Another added: 'Here in Yerington, it felt stronger than the last," a resident wrote on social media. Meanwhile, Californians took to social media and said they felt the shaking in Colfax, which is about 225 kilometres west of the epicentre in Nevada. Silver Lake lies in the Basin and Range Province, a vast region stretching across much of the western US.
Also Read: Scientists warn 86,000 people could die in devastating earthquake in little-known US seismic zone
Tectonic activity in California and Nevada
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The California region where tremors were reported lies in the Basin and Range Province, a geologically active area where the Earth’s crust has stretched and thinned by up to 100 per cent. The terrain here is the result of the North American plate stretching, fracturing, and breaking, pulling the crust apart. The Nevada epicentre sits in the Walker Lane seismic zone, another seismically active area where tectonic plates pull apart land, creating numerous strike-slip faults. This stretching and pulling activity often triggers earthquakes in the region. While some residents suspect volcanic activity could be shaking the ground, experts say the most likely cause for tremors in Nevada is the movement of tectonic plates.
