Utah Seismic Safety Commission

arthquakes in Utah - how serious is the threat?

Collapsed Wall

90% of Utah's population lives in active earthquake zones. If a 7.5 Richter Magnitude quake were to occur in the Salt Lake City area, it is projected that 7600 people would die and approximately $18 - billion would be lost to physical damage and loss of jobs and economic activity.

Utah has experienced damaging earthquakes in the past and geologic evidence indicates that earthquakes larger than any experienced locally in historical time are likely in the future. Large earthquakes are possible anywhere in Utah, but they are most likely in a "seismic belt" about 100 miles wide extending north - south along the Wasatch Front and through Richfield to Cedar City and St. George. Utah averages a magnitude 6 earthquake once every 15 to 20 years.

We must prepare for earthquakes because:

Utah is a seismically active region
Our population is concentrated in the areas of greatest hazard
Many of our older buildings and lifelines have low earthquake resistance