LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you’ve felt the ground shaking in Las Vegas recently, you’re not alone. A swarm of earthquakes originating in Death Valley has rippled through the area, raising concerns about the stability of fault lines near the Las Vegas Valley.
Seismologists are closely monitoring the recent earthquake activity in California’s Death Valley, which has experienced a surge of more than 64 earthquakes since October 24. Many of these tremors, including a 4.7-magnitude quake, were felt as far away as Las Vegas.
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“We’ve noticed a cluster of earthquakes happening around Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley,” said Dr. Christie Rowe, Director of the Nevada Seismological Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno.
“We’ve been monitoring the area for about two weeks, and over the weekend, we observed an uptick, with four earthquakes between magnitude 4 and 5. It’s a notable amount of activity for the folks in Death Valley.”
Death Valley’s fault system, known for producing strong earthquakes, has a history of significant seismic activity. Dr. Rowe explains that the recent earthquakes raise concerns because of Death Valley’s proximity to Las Vegas.
“We believe the faults in Death Valley could generate earthquakes with magnitudes as high as 6 or 7,” Dr. Rowe said. “That level of shaking is something we carefully monitor, as it could significantly impact the Las Vegas valley.”
WATCH | In a 2020 report, Channel 13 explained the fault line movements in Southern Nevada
During a recent conversation with Dr. Rowe and her team via FaceTime, they were investigating fault scarps in Genoa, Nevada — a site historically linked to seismic activity and part of the broader fault system extending from Death Valley. Dr. Rowe explained that while these clusters are not necessarily unusual, her team remains vigilant.
“Earthquake clusters happen in Nevada all the time,” Dr. Rowe noted. “However, they do increase our alert levels because sometimes a larger earthquake follows.”
Dr. Rowe said this pattern of activity often continues along Nevada’s border with California or in central Nevada, as one cluster dies out only for another to start.
To better monitor seismic activity, the Nevada Seismological Lab has placed seismic monitoring stations throughout the Las Vegas valley, including one at UNLV’s campus. These devices track ground movement and send early warnings, though few residents are aware of their presence.
UNLV student voices have varied on the subject, with one student commenting, “Personally, I’ve never felt an earthquake. I hope I don’t because I don’t know how I would react.”
Dr. Rowe reminds residents that Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the country and emphasizes the importance of earthquake preparedness in Las Vegas.
The Nevada Seismological Lab continues to monitor the Death Valley earthquake cluster and advises residents to stay informed about preparedness tips, which can be found on the lab’s website.
