Seismologists tell Gibbons Nevada due for a quake, but they can’t predict when

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons met with seismologists and emergency managers Tuesday afternoon for an update on the recent string of earthquakes in Northwest Reno. The Reno area has experienced several hundred earthquakes in the last two weeks. The biggest was a 4.7 magnitude on Fri., April 25.

Seismologists told Gibbons that the Reno area historically experiences a magnitude seven earthquake every 25 to 30 years. Reno has not had a magnitude seven earthquake since 1954, so seismologists expect that it could happen in the near future. However, they are not able to give a prediction.

"Maybe everyone wants to hear me predict an earthquake. It's not going to happen. If you think you hear me predicting an earthquake, then you'd better ask me for clarification, because we're not predicting an earthquake. We can't predict an earthquake," John Anderson, the Director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory said.

The only thing the scientists seem to agree on, is that they don't know exactly know what's causing the earthquakes or how long they will continue.

"We don't know what's going on. We're hoping it's going down, but just in case, we're looking at it. We're doing hypothesis testing, thinking about what else we can do. We can't say, ‘Oh, we know what's going on.' We don't," Craig De Polo, Ph.D. from the UNR Bureau of Mines said.

The governor and the scientists are urging the entire Northern Nevada community to be prepared for an earthquake. They be as prepared as you can, but don't let the fear of an earthquake get the best of you.

"These things are scary. It's natural to be afraid. We should expect it. It's natural. I'm afraid. Scientists get afraid when the ground is moving," De Polo said.

Gibbons says Nevada residents should be confident that the state is prepared for an earthquake.

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