Over 120 earthquakes strike near US nuclear weapons testing facilities

"The remote military range near the town of Tonopah is not primarily used for nuclear detonations, but it has long been linked to US nuclear weapons programs. The site is used to test how nuclear weapons would be delivered, including experiments where aircraft drop non-nuclear versions of bombs to study their performance."

"The area sits within the Basin and Range Province, a vast stretch of the western US where the Earth's crust is slowly pulling apart. As the land stretches, stress builds along hundreds of underground faults that periodically slip, triggering earthquakes."

"This process often produces earthquake swarms, clusters of dozens or even hundreds of small tremors occurring in the same location over a short period of time. Nevada is one of the most seismically active states in the country, and such swarms are relatively common across the Basin and Range region."

A swarm of at least 127 earthquakes occurred in central Nevada between Saturday and Wednesday, with magnitudes ranging from 3.3 to 1.4. The seismic activity centered near the Tonopah Test Range, a restricted military facility used for nuclear weapons delivery testing and aircraft experiments. Scientists attribute the earthquake swarm to natural geological processes. The region sits within the Basin and Range Province, where the Earth's crust is slowly stretching, creating stress along underground faults that periodically slip and trigger earthquakes. Nevada ranks among the most seismically active states, and such earthquake swarms are relatively common in this geological province. Experts conclude the tremors result from natural tectonic movement rather than military operations or testing.

Read at Mail Online