Historic Earthquakes

Stillwater, Nevada
1954 August 24 05:51 UTC (local time August 23)
Magnitude 6.8

Ground surface movement was increased several centimeters at the break of the main fault of July 6, 1954 (11 13 UTC), along the east edge of Rainbow Mountain. Displacement from this shock was much more continuous than that of July 6, probably as a result of the larger relative movement (76 cm compared to 30 cm on July 6). The ground breakage extended north for about 18 km to the region southeast of Carson Sink. Only vertical movement was observed, however. Except for the Lovelock area, where this earthquake considerably damaged the Rogers Dam, damage to buildings, roads, and irrigation facilities occurred in the same general areas as for the shock on July 6. Also felt in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Utah.

Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993.