Sierra Earthquake swarm overnight near Donner and Independence Lakes

9:30 a.m. update: The area continues to see several earthquakes in this current swarm that started at 2:02 a.m. with a 4.0 earthquake according to the UNR Seismological Lab in Reno. Magnitude numbers have been updated and listed below.

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A series of earthquakes hit north of Donner Lake early Tuesday morning, starting at 2:02 a.m. with a 4.0 quake and a session of following 14 other tremblers over 1.0 magnitude by 5:43 a.m.

All came from an area 10.5 to 11.8 miles North/Northwest of Donner Lake, near Independence Lake.

The time and magnitude as of 8:20 a.m. Tuesday:

2:02 a.m. - 4.0
2:04 a.m. - 2.6
2:09 a.m. - 4.1
2:15 a.m. - 1.2
2:16 a.m. - 2.7
2:29 a.m. - 1.4
2:36 a.m. - 2.1
2:45 a.m. - 1.3
2:53 a.m. - 1.2
3:27 a.m. - 1.7
3:35 a.m. - 2.8
4:01 a.m. - 1.6
4:05 a.m. - 1.6
4:05 a.m. - 1.3
5:14 a.m. - 3.1
5:14 a.m. - 3.1
5:43 a.m. - 2.3

Earthquakes are not uncommon through the Sierra and Northern Nevada. This recent swarm of earthquakes follows heavy activity in the Mammoth Lakes and Hawthorne areas over the last few months.

"This is the nature of earthquakes," said Mickey Cassar, a records tech with seismic data at University of Nevada, Reno told South Tahoe Now in June after the Hawthorne quake series. "There are ebbs and flows. Earthquakes happen this way, a sequence goes on for awhile."

Naturalist John Muir wrote about the violent shaking while at Yosemite: “I ran out of my cabin near the Sentinel rock, both glad and frightened, shouting, ‘A noble earthquake!’ “ Muir wrote. “The shocks were so violent and varied and succeeded one another so closely, one had to balance in walking as if on the deck of a ship among the waves.”

Cassar said that while the current swarm isn't unusual it is a good time to get earthquake kits together and prepare your home. The website http://www.shakeout.org is full of resources on how to be prepared, what should be in an earthquake kit (emergency supplies after an earthquake which is similar to a fire preparedness kit), posters and other educational materials.

According to the Earthquake Country Alliance, here are seven steps on how to better prepare to survive and recover, wherever you live, work, or travel.

The four steps to prepare are:

1. Secure your space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items (bookcases, hot water heaters).
2. Plan to be safe by creating a disaster plan and deciding how you will communicate in an emergency.
3. Organize disaster supplies in convenient locations.
4. Minimize financial hardship by organizing important documents, strengthening your property, and considering insurance.
And the next steps to survive and recover:
5. Drop, Cover, and Hold On when the earth shakes.
6. Improve safety after earthquakes by evacuating if necessary, helping the injured, and preventing further injuries or damage.
Being prepared helps your quality of life after the earthquake:
7. Reconnect and Restore. Restore daily life by reconnecting with others, repairing damage, and rebuilding community.