A 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook western Montana early Thursday morning. KTVQ reports the quake lasted less than a minute at 12:30 a.m., beginning with a slow tremor and then building in intensity. At least nine smaller aftershocks followed within an hour. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake’s epicenter was located about 5.5 miles southeast of Lincoln, Mt., with a depth of 2.5 miles.
NBC reports the quake was felt as far away as Billings, Bozeman, and Great Falls. NPR reports some said they felt it for hundreds of miles, from Idaho to Washington state. “It was strong enough to wake people up across a wide area, and was felt along a line more than 500 miles long, from Billings to Spokane, Wash.,” Montana Public Radio’s Eric Whitney told NPR. READ MORE
