Saturday, January 18, 2025
17.0°F

Earthquakes cause minor shakes in Happy's Inn area

Phil Johnson | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 8 months AGO
by Phil Johnson
| May 16, 2014 2:16 PM

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook the Crystal Lake area Tuesday night. About a dozen weaker aftershocks were recorded Wednesday morning.

The initial earthquake occurred 27 miles southeast of Libby, near Happy’s Inn, at 8:09 p.m. Tuesday. The aftershocks, most measured at 2.3-magnitude, shook the same area Wednesday morning, according to Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Lisa Oedewaldt.

Oedewaldt said no calls were made to dispatch reporting the events, but the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will conduct extra patrols in the area. She stressed no evacuation order was made and the Flower Creek Dam is unharmed.

The quakes and aftershocks are the second shaking episode to strike the Happy’s Inn area in less than two weeks. On May 3, a 2.5-magnitude earthquake was recorded.

Lincoln County Undersheriff Brent Faulkner said the United States Geological Survey does not expect Tuesday’s activity to foreshadow any larger events.

According to the Geological Survey, most of the aftershocks were too weak for people to notice, and calls to patrons of Happy’s Inn confirmed that the shake did not put a dent in anyone’s plans.

While northwest Montana rarely sees significant quakes, a December 1998 earthquake south of Crystal Lake registered at 4.7-magnitude. While the event was widely felt, no damage was reported.

In 1995, from May to June, there were 10 earthquakes recorded in the Kila area with magnitudes ranging from 3.0 to 4.5. Again, no damage was reported, but residents were a bit shaken up.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Earthquake shakes Happy's Inn area
The Western News | Updated 10 years, 8 months ago
5.8 magnitude earthquake rattles western Montana; no one hurt
Hungry Horse News | Updated 7 years, 6 months ago
Shake, rattle and quake
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 9 years, 1 month ago

ARTICLES BY PHIL JOHNSON

Mountain pleads not guilty to seven Yaak burglary charges
November 4, 2014 1:10 p.m.

Mountain pleads not guilty to seven Yaak burglary charges

Not guilty, seven times over. That was the plea Monday when Zachary Michael Mountain, 19, was arraigned before District Judge James Wheelis. Mountain faces as many as 140 years in prison for his alleged involvement last year in a string of felony burglaries in the Yaak.

Crace runs toward state rushing lead
September 30, 2014 11:29 a.m.

Crace runs toward state rushing lead

Libby's conference leading rusher puts team on his back

Announcing Libby Loggers football games this year is a predictable endeavor. With the passing game aching from the absence of graduated All-State quarterback Jared Winslow, the Loggers are a committed ground team. Reminiscent of the era when offenses were pleased with three yards and a cloud of dust, the Loggers run game repeatedly rams the ball right into the teeth of the opposing defense.