Scientists say the Sierra’s eastern front is long overdue for a large earthquake along the California-Nevada line, where a magnitude 7 event expected on average every 30 years hasn’t occurred in six decades. Nevada Seismology Laboratory Director Graham Kent says the region’s earthquake “drought” is likely one of the sources of a public misconception that it is at a low risk of experiencing a serious earthquake.

He planned to discuss details about the latest research Tuesday during an Earthquake Economic Resiliency Forum ahead of the Seismological Society of America’s annual meeting, running Wednesday to Friday in Reno. Kent said a magnitude 6 earthquake or larger typically strikes every 10 years or so along the Sierra Nevada frontal fault system running from south of Yosemite National Park to north of Reno and Lake Tahoe. There were seven magnitude 6.5 or larger in the region from 1915 to 1954, but none since, he said. The last magnitude 6 was 22 years ago in the Carson Valley south of Carson City. FULL REPORT


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