Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project
March 6, 1949 – Salt Lake City, UT – M 5.0
Salt Lake City, Utah, experienced a magnitude 5.0 earthquake at 11:50 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, 1949. Some felt reports were received from south Davis County, Utah, but most were isolated to the Salt Lake County.
In Salt Lake County, buildings swayed. Floors and stairs made creaking sounds. At the county jail, iron bars and gates rattled.
Switchboards were flooded with calls. The Salt Lake Tribune reported taking 350 telephone queries in the first 30 minutes of the earthquake.
The shaking awakened some people. Guests on the upper floors of the Hotel Utah and the Newhouse Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City distinctly felt the earthquake, but were not panicked. Startled patrons at Utah Theater and Capitol Theater, walked out of the buildings without alarm. Some people were concerned about aftershocks and preferred to sleep outside.
The earthquake broke a 10-inch city water line, but no other damage to public utilities was reported. Minor damage to one house occurred, as well as a cracked wall in at least one business building. Some windows were broken and at least one chimney was downed. Additional minor damage included a mirror and broken dishes.
No serious property damage and no injuries were reported from this earthquake.
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