Earthquake swarm hits near Nevada supervolcano sparking eruption fears

"The pair of quakes struck approximately 30 miles from Valmy, a small town located along several active fault lines in the region, including the Fairview Peak-Dixie Valley Fault Scarps, the Central Nevada Seismic Belt, and the Pleasant Valley Fault. The early morning earthquakes also took place just days after multiple seismic swarms struck the area, including 38 quakes recorded around Valmy in the last week alone."

"The McDermitt Volcanic Field formed about 16 million years ago during a period of intense volcanic activity. According to USGS, it was created when massive amounts of molten rock erupted, leaving behind a huge caldera, a sunken area shaped like a bowl. Over millions of years, erosion and other geological changes have shaped the area, but the caldera's remnants are still visible."

"Earthquakes between 3.0 and 5.0 in magnitude are often felt, but typically only cause shaking and minor damage. The swarms were likely driven by tectonic forces along the fault systems of the Basin and Range Province. However, many on social media have begun to sound the alarm that the ongoing earthquakes could signal an even bigger disaster, as the earthquake swarms have taken place just miles from the McDermitt supervolcano."

A 3.7 and a 3.2-magnitude earthquake were recorded just after 9:30am ET near Valmy in northern Nevada. The quakes occurred roughly 30 miles from Valmy, which lies along multiple active faults including the Fairview Peak-Dixie Valley Fault Scarps, the Central Nevada Seismic Belt, and the Pleasant Valley Fault. The events followed seismic swarms that produced dozens of tremors over the previous week, including a 4.8-magnitude quake. Magnitudes between 3.0 and 5.0 are often felt but generally cause only shaking and minor damage. The swarms were likely driven by tectonic forces in the Basin and Range Province. The seismic activity is occurring within miles of the McDermitt Volcanic Field, a caldera formed about 16 million years ago, with no recorded eruptions since its last activity.

Read at Mail Online