Earthquakes Rattle California-Nevada, Reaches Central Valley

The areas in red are the areas hit by the earthquake and aftershocks on Thursday, July 8. (Courtesy USGS Website)

Central California residents were expecting a heatwave this week, but many were in shock when a succession of earthquakes struck Thursday afternoon.

Several earthquakes struck within minutes of one another near the California-Nevada border.

At 3:49 p.m., a 5.9 magnitude earthquake was registered in Smith Valley, Nevada followed by a series of earthquakes thereafter.

The subsequent earthquakes registered magnitudes ranging from 4.6 to 2.6, hitting Dardanelle (4.6), Markleeville (4.2),  Dardanelle (3.6), and Walker (3.2). Aftershocks were also reported in the area after the initial quack.

Courtesy of Twitter

Initial U.S. Geological Survey reports stated that a 4.8 magnitude earthquake originated near Stockton in San Joaquin County but removed it from the list.

The movement was felt throughout the Fresno and Clovis area, with many people taking to social media to confirm their suspicions.

Anthony De Leon is a journalist who started his career in 2017, covering sports for the Fresno City College Rampage, earning his Associate Degree in the process. He then moved on to Fresno State, working for The Collegian serving as Sports Editor, Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in print journalism. In August, he will begin attending Reynold’s School of Journalism Master’s program at the University of Nevada, Reno.