Earthquake in Las Vegas: Tourists Terrified on 19th Floor as Rare Quake Shakes the Strip

Las Vegas Strip was startled by a sudden quake Friday as preparations were in full swing for Fourth of July weekend.

A magnitude 4 earthquake rocked Las Vegas and surrounding areas today, startling tourists and residents on the Strip. The shock started just after 10:30 a.m., bringing a sense of unease in what would have been a festive Fourth of July weekend.

'Our magnitude estimate is a 4.1 with the epicentre at Red Rock Canyon,' Nevada Seismological Laboratory director Christie Rowe told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'Our analysts are looking at it right now. It looks like it was felt pretty widely.'

California also Experiences Magnitude 6 Quake

Separate quakes were also experienced in Searles Valley, California, approximately 60 miles northwest of Barstow in the Mojave Desert. That quake registered at a magnitude 6.4 at the centre, according to the USGS website.

Residents felt the full magnitude 4 shock about 16 miles west of Las Vegas. The Nevada Seismological Laboratory recorded its depth at 3.8 miles.

Magnitude 2.5 to 5.4 quakes happen about 500,000 times across the US, according to Michigan Tech. These shocks are often felt, but cause minor damage in their wake.

Las Vegas Strip Tourists Recall Unnerving Event

It didn't seem that way to tourists on the Las Vegas Strip. 'We were actually up on the 19th floor of the Encore [Tower],' Carl Johnson told 8 News. 'I just felt like just like shaking, left to the right and it felt kind of weird like, it's kind of like you're on a ride or something. You remember like a carnival ride. It felt weird.'

The tremors also startled players on the casino floors, and since the quake was on the low end of the magnitude scale, the aftermath merely left some confused and disoriented.

'I was actually sitting at the blackjack table at the Wynn and it just felt like I was on a boat and we were just doing this,' tourist Alec Ventresca told the outlet. 'I actually thought the guy that I was sitting with was kicking the table.'

The Nevada Department of Transportation assured the public that the state's bridges could withstand small quakes and high winds. 'I was really surprised. I wasn't expecting to come to Vegas and feel an earthquake,' said Madarus Hobson, another tourist.

How You Can Respond to an Earthquake?

Ready.gov offers a detailed guide on earthquake response, and the best time to prepare is long before any disaster happens. Families are advised to develop and commit to an emergency plan, especially communications contingencies in case members get separated.

An emergency supply kit could also mean the difference between life and death for those trapped in their homes or buildings.

Any type of overhead protection is crucial during an earthquake. Those caught in the tremors should immediately take cover under furniture or an interior wall. Drop and stay as close to the ground as possible, bent over to protect the head and vital organs. Look for the nearest exit after the quake has passed while anticipating aftershocks.

Las Vegas' History of Earthquakes

This earthquake marks the first one widely felt on the Las Vegas Strip in nearly seven years, with the last comparable event originating from California in 2019. Residents shared footage of their backyard swimming pools sloshing over the sides during the event, which was followed by aftershocks that continued through the following day.

That same 2019 quake hit during the NBA Summer League, forcing crowds to be evacuated from the Thomas & Mack Centre as the tremors rippled through southern California. The event also involved several earthquakes in the same area, with the largest reported as magnitude 7.1 near Ridgecrest.

Nevada's largest recorded earthquake was a magnitude 7.6 in Pleasant Valley in 1915, the area now a rural community along the old highway between Reno and Carson City. A more recent magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit on 15 May 2020, causing a split in Highway 95 near Coaldale Junction between Reno and Las Vegas. This 2020 quake temporarily disrupted traffic until emergency repairs were completed on the damaged highway.