An earthquake shook the Spanish Springs area early Tuesday, December 19, with no damage or injuries reported.
According to the seismology lab at the University of Nevada, Reno, the quake measured a magnitude of 3.40 and struck at 1:31 a.m., seven and a half miles east-northeast of Sun Valley. An aftershock of magnitude 1.1 was reported 20 minutes later at 1:51 a.m. in the same area, followed by a magnitude 0.6 at 2:24 a.m.
Sleeping when it struck, I felt it as it rocked my two bookshelves against the wall. It lingered for around five minutes, long enough for me to get out of bed and secure both cases by holding them steady.
At first, I thought all my books would get tossed from the shelving or the shelf would collapse from the sudden upheaval. Looking back, I realize that had either happened, I would have been able to do nothing aside from perhaps getting hurt.
Stubbing all my toes on my right foot does not count in this case, as I tripped over the leg of my bed while crawling back between the sheets. Yes, there was some verbal gymnastics involved in the incident.
Mary, my wife, who grew up in earthquake-prone sunny Southern California, in the foothills east and north of San Diego, slept through the excitement. Because my wife prides herself on being earthquake-aware but failed to wake up when one struck, Mary has been a bit mopey all evening.
The Old Blog in the Desert 