Quakes rattle northern Idaho; widely felt but no reports of injuries, damage

SANDPOINT, Idaho (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey said a magnitude 4.1 quake struck northern Idaho about 14 miles southeast of Sandpoint Thursday night. The quake was widely felt throughout northern Idaho and northwest Montana.

About three hours later, a second quake, registered as magnitude 4.2, hit nine miles east-southeast of Ponderay, the USGS said.

A Bonner County, Idaho, emergency dispatcher in Sandpoint said his office had received no reports of any injuries or damage from the first quake that struck at 7:32 p.m. Thursday.

In less than two hours, nearly 300 people had logged on to the USGS National Earthquake Information Center website in Golden, Colorado, to report having felt the quake.

Pacific Northwest Seismic Network director John Vidale in Seattle described the quake as "stronger than we've had" in that area in a while but not alarming.