Aftermath

Following the earthquake, structural damage was reported throughout the town of Wells. It is speculated that every structure, residential or commercial, suffered substantial damage from the magnitude 6.0 tremor. The hardest hit was the unoccupied historic district, which lies in total ruin. In one location, the flying J truck stop, there was report of a propane leak and one injury from a cigarette rack falling on a woman. Reports of dishes and books falling from shelves and cupboards were common. Despite the intense quake, only three injuries were reported and nobody was reported missing. One fatality did occurred when a fish was flung from his bowl as a result of the quake. The power, water, and all other utilities are still functional following the quake. Reports from the power company say the transformers shifter six inches however they remained operational. Some locations in Wells did report some power outages.

The town of Wells was completely cordoned off following the quake. The Nevada State Police checked identification and only allowed local residents to enter the town via the highway off ramps. Motorists traveling through the area ran into problems as gas stations were closed off in the area and travelers were unable to fill up their tanks in Wells.

As if the main earthquake was not enough, the residents of Wells were treated to about 30 aftershocks, a few of which were substantial. Despite these aftershocks the emergency responders were hard at work. While firefighters from Wells and the surrounding area go around and assess damage, Associated Foods was in the process of sending a disaster team complete with trucks full of food, water, and emergency supplies for residents. Following such a severe natural disaster you would think there would be a lot of despair, but that is not the case with the residents of Wells. Mitch Smith sums up the residents’ feelings as, “It’s mother nature, what good would it be to get mad?”

Example of the damage, a car buried under the debris from the adjacent building.

McMurdo, D. (2008, February 21). Quake Rocks Wells: Magnitude 6.0 Temblor Causes Extensive Damage. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the Elko Daily Free Press: 2008

~ by djaugustin85 on March 24, 2008.