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Magnitude-6.5 earthquake shakes Idaho; no reports of damage

March 31 (UPI) -- A magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck near Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday night, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake hit about 45 miles west of Challis, Idaho, at about 5:52 p.m., at a depth of 6.2 miles, the USGS said. Challis is about 120 miles northeast of Boise in central Idaho.

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The agency said shaking was "very strong," and added that it received about 16,000 reports from people who felt it.

The USGS said it's likely to have a low impact and the Boise Police Department tweeted that there were no immediate reports of damage.

There is a 4 percent chance of one or more aftershocks larger than magnitude-6.5 throughout the next week, the USGS forecast.

"It is likely there will be smaller earthquakes over the next week, as well, with 4 to 790 magnitude-3 or higher aftershocks," the agency said. "Magnitude-3 and above are large enough to be felt near the epicenter. Then number of aftershocks will drop off over time, but a large aftershock can increase the numbers again, temporarily."

A earthquake near Salt Lake City last month, about 300 miles to the southeast, was followed by dozens of aftershocks.

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