Rapid-fire earthquakes hit Nevada where the ground is slowly ripping apart
Nevada experienced two earthquakes within seconds of each other on Friday, in a region of the US where the ground is slowly ripping apart.
The tremors, measured by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at magnitudes of 3.6 and 3.5, struck near Preston, which is home to more than 160,000 people.
An assessment from Michigan Tech University showed that earthquakes from 2.5 to 5.4 are often felt but cause only minor damage.
No damage from Friday’s seismic activity has been reported.
The largest earthquake was recorded at 10.10am ET, with the next striking just 24 seconds later outside of Preston, which sits in the Basin and Range Province, a vast region stretching across much of the western US.
In this area, the Earth’s crust is gradually being stretched and thinned, creating frequent faulting and seismic activity.
As the crust pulls apart, fractures known as faults form, and movement along these faults produces earthquakes.
Another 3.7 magnitude earthquake was reported near Preston on Sunday.
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Nevada in 2020 (pictured), which was likely caused by the Basin and Ridge Province cracking and stretching
Preston is located near the Railroad Valley fault zone, a major active normal fault system in the central part of the state’s Basin and Range Province.
The Basin and Range Province spans over 300,000 square miles, covering much of Nevada, Utah, eastern California, southern Idaho and Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico.
This is a developing story… More updates to come
