5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded Near Salt Lake City
Disaster Alert
March 18, 2020
Source: The Weather Channel
Approximate locations reportedly sustaining minor structural damage:
Utah
– Magna (Salt Lake County, 84044)
– Salt Lake City (Salt Lake County)
Associated ZIP Code List
NOTE: This has not yet been declared a FEMA Major Disaster.
At a Glance
- More than 73,000 homes and businesses were without power.
- Aftershocks are expected to continue throughout the day.
A strong earthquake shook the Salt Lake City area Wednesday morning, leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses without power and startling many residents who were still asleep in their beds.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage.
“Please stay away from the downtown area while crews assess damage,” Gov. Gary Herbert advised. “Unless you work in public safety, or are an essential employee, remain at home or telework.”
Salt Lake City International Airport was evacuated and remained closed as of about 11 a.m. EST.
The U.S. Geological Survey gave the quake a preliminary rating of 5.7 magnitude and estimated that 2.8 million people likely felt the shaking shortly after 7 a.m. local time.
Weak to very strong shaking was reported in areas including Logan and Provo, according to the USGS shake map, which relies on first-person accounts. Most of the reports of stronger shaking came from closer to the city. The quake was centered near Magna, Utah, about 10 miles west of Salt Lake City, at a depth of about 6 miles, according to the USGS.
“We are receiving earthquake reports from Logan to Riverton. The strongest shaking seems to have been felt around Salt Lake County,” Utah Emergency Management said on Twitter.
For full report, please click the source link above.