Building collapsed after 6.0 quakeWELLS, Nev. - A strong earthquake rattled northeast Nevada early Thursday, causing at least one building to collapse and forcing the evacuation of a truck stop, authorities said.
The magnitude of the quake, initially estimated at 6.3, was later revised to 6.0 by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo. The quake, which struck at 6:16 a.m., was centered in a sparsely populated area 11 miles southeast of Wells near the Nevada-Utah line.
"It was pretty bad," said Jane Kelso, who answered the phone at the Motel 6. "Everything in our whole building shook. "We have cracks in our walls."
The temblor was felt across eastern Nevada, Utah and as far away as Southern California. In Twin Falls, Idaho, residents reported severe shaking and items falling off shelves.
"Definitely a lot of people felt this, and if they were sleeping, they were awoken," said USGS geophysicist Carrieann Bedwell.
Building collapses, propane leaks
Elko County Undersheriff Rocky Gonzalez said there were reports of damage to buildings. At least one building collapsed, he said, and a Flying J truck stop was evacuated because of a propane leak, he said.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries, but one woman was reportedly hurt when a cigarette rack fell on her.
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Union Pacific Rail Road suspended traffic so its tracks could be inspected. Service later resumed, a spokeswoman said.
In Wendover, Utah, on the Nevada-Utah line, Tammy Wadsworth was ironing clothes when the quake hit.
"I kept thinking, 'When is it going to quit?' A couple pictures fell off the walls," she said. "One of my grandkids ran outside. They didn't know what else to do. It scared them."
The El Rancho Building on Lake Avenue may be among those that have reportedly collapsed with renters inside the buildings, according to Denny Stanhope, a member of the Elko County Sheriff Auxiliary.
While on the phone with NBC News, Stanhope and his wife said they felt another aftershock.
Mike Nanini of Four Way Casino in Wells told NBC News that a small part of his roof collapsed and that his casino was a mess. He said the quake lasted for almost 2 minutes and about eight slot machines were on the floor.
A person who answered the phone at Wells Elementary School told The Associated Press that there were cracks in walls and items were displaced.
Wells is about 350 miles east of Reno on Interstate 80.