Magnitude-5.8 earthquake strikes in Montana

July 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Geological Survey said a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck early Thursday about 7 miles away from Lincoln, Mont., though there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The USGS said the earthquake struck at a depth of about 8 miles. It was the result of a shallow strike-slip fault, vertical fractures in which blocks of earth have mostly moved horizontally.

The USGS said there have been at least nine aftershocks measuring between magnitudes 3.1 and 4.9 on Thursday.

Mike Stickney, a Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology seismologist, told the Independent Record the quake was probably the strongest in Montana since October 1964.

"This is a pretty sizeable earthquake. It would certainly have the potential to do structural damage near the epicenter, but we've had no reports indicating damage yet," Stickney said.

Stickney said the location of the earthquake is not surprising because "It's right along the axis of the intermountain seismic belt."

Missoula Police Department Corporal Mick McCarthy said property damage has not yet been reported.

The earthquake was strong enough to knock items off walls and shelves in Helena, about 33 miles away from the epicenter, where a gas leak also was reported, and Missoula, nearly 70 miles away. Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said the earthquake briefly knocked out power in Lincoln.