Most of us in the Truckee Meadows felt some shaking last month from that series of earthquakes that hit south Reno. The biggest one was a 4.3 but seismologists say it's only a matter of time before we get a really big one.
For Face the State this week I sat down with the director of the UNR seismology lab. He's in a good spot since Nevada is one of the most seismically active states in the nation.
We logged more than 17,500 earthquakes in 2015.
Dr. Graham Kent says earthquakes are very unpredictable but there is one thing they know for sure.
"Not every swarm becomes a large earthquake, but most large earthquakes here start with swarms.”
So, whenever we have swarms like the ones we saw last month it puts seismologists and emergency managers on alert.
Our area has been in a long dry spell when it comes to large earthquakes.
About 100 years ago, we saw a handful of magnitude 6s and 7s, enough to cause major damage and death.
"If you just play the numbers, and look at, you know kind of these ridiculous streaks of not having earthquakes, that, sooner or later, probably sooner, the 4.3 is going to be a 6.3.”
Kent says the biggest issue with this is making sure our area is as resilient as possible. That means education for citizens, infrastructure improvements, retrofitting for homes and buying earthquake insurance.
You may not realize that earthquake insurance is not part of standard homeowner policies. And if your home is damaged in a quake you could be out a lot of money.
To see the full interview just tune in or set your DVR for Face the State this weekend. It's airing on Saturday at 4:30 am, 1:30 pm and 9:30 pm and on Sunday at 6:30 am and 1:30 pm.
