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Magnitude 3.6 Earthquake Rattles Sierra Near Truckee

TRUCKEE (CBS SF) -- A 3.6 magnitude rattled through the Tahoe National Forest early Wednesday, jolting local residents awake in the nearby mountain communities of Truckee and Norden.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just before 1:30 a.m. with an epicenter south of Fordyce Lake, six miles northwest of Norden.

There were no reports of damage.

The USGS said the quake was strongly felt by residents living in Truckee, Norden and as far away as Reno and Auburn.

Sierra quake
Sierra Nevada 3.6 earthquake, June 23, 2021. (US Geologicial Survey)

On Twitter, gogwengo posted -- "Unlike any #earthquake I've experienced. Huge jolt - sounded like an explosion or sonic boom - heart still racing."

The region has been seismically active for the last few months with four temblors rumbling underground measuring 3.5 or larger.

The largest came on May 6 when a quake measuring 4.7 struck -- the strongest in the region in the past 16 years.

On May 28, a 4.2 magnitude quake followed quickly by a 2.7 magnitude aftershock rumbled deep beneath the waters of Lake Tahoe off Dollar Point.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the initial jolt took place at 8:25 a.m. and was epicenter in a region where the lake bottom is crisscrossed by faults about 5 miles from Dollar Point. The 2.7 magnitude aftershock followed at 21 minutes later and a larger 3.1 magnitude temblor at 9:04 a.m.

Two more followed, each temblor measuring a 2.8 magnitude.

The quake was strongly felt in Tahoe City, Carson City, Nev., Truckee and Incline Village, according to USGS tracking.

A swarm of quakes measuring 3.7 magnitude and lower hit the same fault area in April with residents as far away as Sacramento reporting feeling the temblors.

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