4.2-magnitude earthquake shakes central Montana
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Montana on Thursday afternoon, with tremors felt across a wide area, though authorities reported no immediate damage.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake originated just northeast of Great Falls at a depth of about six miles shortly before 1 p.m. local time, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
In the minutes that followed, the Great Falls Police Department urged residents on Facebook to call 911 only for serious emergencies, noting that emergency phone lines were “going crazy.”
Less than an hour after the earthquake, a city spokesperson said there were no reports of significant damage, although public safety agencies continued to assess the situation.
Great Falls City Commissioner Shannon Wilson said she was at the Celtic Cowboy, a downtown restaurant, when the quake hit. She ran outside, initially thinking an explosion might have occurred. An Army veteran, Wilson said the sound and sensation were unlike previous earthquakes she had experienced.
“It sounded like an explosion to me,” Wilson said. “I’ve been through several earthquakes, and it wasn’t like anything I’ve felt.”
Nearly three hours later, Great Falls Mayor Cory Reeves said the city had received no reports of serious damage or injuries. Reeves said he was in the basement of the Alliance for Youth building near 33rd Street and 11th Avenue South when he first thought someone was moving a heavy object overhead, before realizing it was an earthquake.
A statement from Malmstrom Air Force Base said the quake caused no damage to facilities on the base or across the surrounding missile field.
The National Weather Service reported that the earthquake was felt as far north as Shelby and as far south as Helena.
Montana typically experiences up to five earthquakes each year, though most are too small to be felt by residents.
By Nijat Babayev
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