Updated April 13, 2026, 9:03 p.m. PT
A 5.68 earthquake struck northwest Nevada at 6:29 p.m. Monday, April 13, based on the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was initially reported as 5.4 by UNR’s seismology lab and 5.7 by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Christie Rowe, the director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, advised the RGJ round 8 p.m. that the latest measurement was 5.68 as they continued to research it.
“It was felt by a lot of people over a big area, which is kind of exciting,” Rowe stated.
A collection of aftershocks was nonetheless being recorded hours after the preliminary quake, the largest round 3.6.
Rowe stated the area is more likely to really feel extra aftershocks in the 3.0 magnitude vary, and attainable bigger quakes in the space.
The quake struck round 17.1 miles southwest of Fallon close to Lahontan State Recreational Area, which straddles Churchill and Lyon counties about 60 miles east of Reno.
“We are glad to report that so far there have been no significant reports of damages from the earthquake,” Taylor Allison, emergency administration and authorities affairs director for Lyon County, advised the RGJ. “Lyon County crews will continue to conduct damage assessments over the coming days to ensure there are no impacts to critical infrastructure.”
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and Reno’s National Weather Service stated no injury has been reported.
10 largest earthquakes in Nevada history
Significant earthquakes were frequent in Reno’s early days. In a 55-year stretch from 1860 to 1914, seven quakes measuring 6.0 and above struck Reno, Virginia City and Carson City. One quake on Dec. 10, 1900 caused the hot springs and geysers at Steamboat Springs to dry up.
East of Reno, Churchill County suffered six earthquakes 6.0 or larger in a five-year stretch in the Fifties; the outcomes of a strong 7.2 quake in December 1954 are still visible in the landscape near Fallon almost 70 years later.
But in the previous six-plus a long time, northwestern Nevada hasn’t seen any earthquake larger than 6.0. The Mogul-Somersett earthquake swarm in 2008 topped out at simply 4.7, and the Galena earthquake swarm in 2018 solely reached 2.7.
Here’s an inventory of Nevada’s largest recorded earthquakes:
7.2 — Fairview Peak earthquake, Dec. 16, 1954: The first of two main earthquakes that struck close to Fallon simply 4 minutes and 20 seconds aside. It was the largest of a collection of quakes that shook the space starting in summer season.
6.9 — Dixie Valley earthquake, Dec. 16, 1954: The aftershocks of the two Dec. 16 earthquakes had been so in depth, they had been nonetheless being recorded in 1963.
6.8 — Pleasant Valley earthquake, Oct. 3, 1915: The earthquake in rural southeastern Pershing County prompted an investigation into whether or not downtown Reno’s Majestic Theater, about 100 miles away from the epicenter, was protected for occupancy.
6.8 — Cedar Mountain earthquake, Dec. 21, 1932: The earthquake was felt strongly in Reno, cracking constructing foundations, breaking a whole bunch of home windows and inflicting energy outages in Fallon, Fernley and Lovelock.
6.5 — Carson City earthquake, June 3, 1887: Residents of northwestern Nevada had been shaken from sleep simply earlier than 3 a.m., cracking foundations in the capital; the Reno Evening Gazette reported the quake produced a “low rumbling noise” like distant thunder.
6.5 — Stillwater earthquake, Aug. 24, 1954: This earthquake was a forerunner of a lot bigger quakes in December and presumably the most damaging of the yr. Buildings, roads and dams in the Fallon space had been severely broken.
6.5 — Post Canyon earthquake, March 15, 1860: Centered about 1 ½ miles southwest of the present-day Switch campus at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, this quake startled residents of Carson City and Virginia City.
6.5 — Monte Cristo Range earthquake, May 15, 2020: A May 15 earthquake, magnitude 6.5, was the largest earthquake to hit Nevada since the 1954 quakes. Several sections of US 95 had been broken, however no different important injury was reported.
6.4 — Virginia City earthquake, Dec. 27, 1869: The Gold Hill Daily News stated the earthquake and aftershocks had been “to the infinite disgust of nearly everybody who desired sleep and rest” and puzzled “when this foolishness is going to stop.”
6.4 — Reno earthquake, April 24, 1914: The largest of a collection of earthquakes that lasted from February by way of April.
More important earthquakes in Nevada historical past
Magnitude, approximate location, date
6.3 — Excelsior Mountains, Jan. 30, 1934
6.3 — California-Nevada state line east of Truckee, Sept. 3, 1857
6.2 — Rainbow Mountain, July 6, 1954
6.2 — Carson City, Dec. 27, 1869
6.1 — Carter Springs, Sept. 12, 1994
6.08 — Stagecoach, June 25, 1933
6 — Humboldt, Oct. 3, 1915
6 — Reno, Feb. 18, 1914
6 — Austin, Nov. 12, 1872
6 — Virginia City, May 30, 1868
5.9 — Wells, Feb. 21, 2008
5.9 — Winnemucca, Feb. 3, 1916
5.9 — Fallon, July 6, 1954
5.88 — Incline Village, April 24, 1914
5.8 — Yerington, Dec. 9, 2024
5.8 — Lovelock, Aug. 31, 1954
5.8 — Gabbs, Dec. 16, 1954
5.8 — Owyhee, Aug. 3, 1916
5.8 — Beatty, June 29, 1992
5.71 — Fallon, March 23, 1959
5.7 — Fallon, July 6, 1954
5.7 — Rachel, Feb. 28, 1975
5.7 — Rachel, Dec. 20, 1975
5.7 — Goldfield, Aug. 1, 1999
5.65 — Caliente, Aug. 16, 1966
5.63 — Excelsior Mountains, Jan. 30, 1934
5.6 — Owyhee, Aug. 3, 1916
5.6 — Hawthorne, Dec. 28, 2016
5.6 — Hawthorne, Dec. 28, 2016
5.6 — Dyer, July 21, 1982
Brett McGinness of the RGJ contributed to this story.
Jaedyn Young covers native authorities for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Her wages are 100% funded by donations and grants; when you’d wish to see extra tales like this one, please contemplate donating atRGJ.com/donate. Send your story concepts and suggestions to Jaedyn at jyoung@rgj.com.
