GREAT FALLS — An earthquake shook in Cascade County on Thursday, rattling buildings and surprising residents across Great Falls and beyond.
Initial reports indicated a 5.1 quake, but the U.S. Geological Survey soon confirmed that it registered as a 4.2 quake. The quake happened at 12:41 p.m., and was centered about 4.9 miles northeast of Great Falls at a depth of about 13.6 miles.
MTN News was interviewing Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter (for an unrelated story) when the earthquake hit - watch the video:
The shaking was felt across the city, causing buildings, shelves, and furniture to tremble for several seconds. Most people reported that the shaking and rumbling lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds.
At Ferrin’s Furniture in Great Falls, business owners say the quake was impossible to miss.
“It shook us up pretty good,” said owner Andy Ferrin said. “Little jarring. Yeah, I've been here for 30 years of my life, and that's the second earthquake I felt.”
Ferrin said nothing fell or broke but said you could almost see the walls moving: “Almost lost my footing. I was talking to customers at the time who were from California, and they said ‘Yep, it was an earthquake!’ I thought something exploded outside.”
Angel Gonzalez was livestreaming when the quake hit - watch:
Among the messages and comments from people who felt it:
- My kitchen was shaking bad and it freaked me out - in GF near target
- Well 4th floor at Benefis north was a wake up...
- It rumbled like someone had ran the car into our house!
- A few things on the mantle toppled and one actually fell.
- It felt like something hit the side of my house.
- Huge boom and rattle. Shook me up so bad
- We thought our deck was going to shake apart
- Rattled our house, knocked stuff off shelves in our kitchen.
We also received reports that people felt it in Chester, Shelby, Bigfork, Helena, and White Sulphur Springs.
Malmstrom Air Force Base, which maintains scores of nuclear missile across the region, said in a news release: "We can confirm there has been no impact on our Airmen or our mission. All operations are proceeding as normal. Immediately after the event, teams of our dedicated Airmen conducted thorough inspections across the entire base and the missile complex. We have found no damage to any of our equipment or facilities, and the security of the missile complex remains fully intact."
No injuries or major damage have been reported as a result of the quake.
However, the sudden movement prompted widespread concern and curiosity, leading many residents to check in with friends, family, and civic leaders.
The earthquake also led to an increase in emergency calls. Authorities say the police department received 73 calls to the 911 emergency line related to the quake within a 20-minute span - compared to a usual average of six per hour - though none were emergent.
Officials reminded residents that 911 should only be used for true emergencies, even during unusual events like earthquakes, and that non-emergency lines are the appropriate option for general questions or concerns.
EARTHQUAKES IN MONTANA
The Treasure State is in one of the most seismically active regions in the United States. The intermountain seismic belt, which runs through the western third of the state, is where the majority of the earthquake activity occurs in Montana. The vast majority of quakes are very small, and rarely felt by people.
However, there have been some notable earthquakes in Montana’s history, including the 7.3 magnitude Hebgen Lake earthquake on August 17, 1959. The earthquake triggered more than 160 new geysers throughout Yellowstone National Park. There were also around 28 fatalities from a rockslide in Madison Canyon.
And on July 6, 2017, one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Montana in decades shook the community of Lincoln northwest of Helena. It was centered 5.5 miles southeast of Lincoln at a depth of about 2.6 miles. People reported feeling the 5.8 magnitude quake across Montana and the northwest, with some reports coming from as far away as Vancouver and Lethbridge, Canada.
It caused some minor damage, but no fatalities or serious injuries.
The plains of central and eastern Montana are much less prone to quakes, but there have been a handful of significant ones reported.
According to the USGS, a 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Montana on May 15th, 1909. Several smaller quakes have been recorded in Roosevelt County, including an estimated 4.5 magnitude quake in the town of Froid that resulted in some damage to a grain bin back in 1943.
Although it has been some time since the state has seen a destructive earthquake, small quakes occur several times every day. Click here to learn more about earthquake preparedness.
