RENO - The Nevada Seismological Laboratory reported a magnitude 4.2 earthquake located just north of Spanish Springs at 5:51 p.m. on Monday.
There have been a few unconfirmed reports of minor damage. This quake is the largest in a sequence in that area that began Aug. 21 and was preceded by a magnitude 2.4 at about 5:30 p.m.
There have been several small swarms of earthquakes in the area north of Reno during 2013. The magnitude 4.2 Spanish Springs earthquake occurred in the same area as a small swarm of earthquakes that took place in October 2012.
"Activity began again in this same location on Aug. 21 leading to Monday's felt event," Ken Smith, associate director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno, said. "This earthquake has been followed by several aftershocks, which is typical of earthquakes of this size in the northern Nevada region.
"It's always a possibility, yet just as unlikely, that this event may be a foreshock to a larger event that may occur near the same location, and citizens in the north Reno area should remain on alert for additional ground shaking. How this series of earthquakes will evolve cannot be predicted or forecast."
The event was felt as far away as the western Sierra foothills and to the east in Fallon with some reports from as far away as Sacramento and Susanville, Calif. It was 8.6 miles below the surface.
A series of small aftershocks between magnitude 1.4 and 1.7 have occurred following the 5:51 p.m. earthquake.
Updated information for activity associated with this earthquake is available at http://www.seismo.unr.edu.
The Nevada-Eastern California region has a history of large damaging earthquakes and citizens should always consider earthquake preparedness, according to a news release. Information is available at the Great Nevada Shakeout website, www.shakeout.org/nevada/, or at www.readywashoe.com.
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