5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Nevada; What Do You Do After A Quake?

The earthquake had a fairly shallow depth of 4.4 miles. It was centered 16 miles south of Tonopah Junction, between Reno and Las Vegas, the USGS said.

FEMA urged Nevada residents to take some recommended actions after an earthquake.

It listed the following items on its website:

After:

--Expect aftershocks. These secondary shockwaves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks or even months after the quake.

--Look for and extinguish small fires. Fire is the most common hazard after an earthquake.

--Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called "tidal waves"). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way. Stay away from the beach.

--Be careful when driving after an earthquake and anticipate traffic light outages.

The USGS first reported that the earthquake was a 5.2, but minutes later the report was changed to 5.1.

No injuries or deaths have yet been reported in Nevada as a result of the quake.