ISB earthquakes | U of U Seismograph Stations

2020 – Magna, UT – M 5.7

Posted on April 8, 2021April 8, 2021 by Becca Sumsion

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

March 18, 2020 – Magna, UT – M 5.7

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, Utah was jolted by a magnitude 5.7 earthquake that occurred 3.1 miles north of Magna, Utah. The shaking from the earthquake was widely felt throughout the Wasatch Front area of north-central Utah.

Interest from the public was high. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and the start of quarantine, this was the first moderate-sized earthquake many Utah residents experienced. Social media and other digital coverage made it a widely-covered event.

There were no serious injuries or deaths that were recorded. Several buildings sustained damages as a result of the earthquake. Magna’s main street and a nearby trailer park were the hardest hit areas. Most of the damage occurred on buildings with unreinforced masonry. Total damage estimates were around $48.5 million a month after the mainshock.

The M5.7 was the largest earthquake to occur in Utah since a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in 1992 in southwestern Utah near St. George. The earthquake occurred in a seismically active part of the Salt Lake Valley. Before March 18, the area experienced six magnitude 3.0 or larger earthquakes since 1962, the largest being the magnitude 5.2 on September 5, 1962.

The M5.7 was designated the mainshock of the Magna Earthquake Sequence. There were no foreshocks. Over the course of 2–3 months, the aftershocks grew to number over 2,000. This count included 6 earthquakes in the M4 range and 34 earthquakes in the M3 range.

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1992 – St. George, UT – M 5.8

Posted on January 17, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

September 2, 1992 – St. George, UT – M 5.8

In the early morning of Wednesday, September 2, 1992 (4:26 a.m. MDT), a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred near Washington, Utah.

Most of the destruction occurred near the town of Springdale, Utah, near the mouth of Zion National Park. Utah State Route 9 (SR-9) connecting Springdale and the south entrance of Zion Park was closed as a nearby hillside began to slide down over the road. One report estimated that the slide was moving at 3-4 feet per hour. At one point, the slide was measured at two-thirds of a mile long and one-fifth of a mile wide. The slide left a scarp as high as 50 feet in one location.

Three houses on the hillside were destroyed. Residents in one of the homes attempted to evacuate by car but were impeded by rocks and cracks in the road. They left their car and walked/slid down the hillside. Residents of the second house were helped down the hillside by rescue workers. The third house was unoccupied at the time of the earthquake.

The landslide also swept off telephone poles and lines. And a water line broke under the road, near the south entrance to Zion Park. Springdale and Zion Park were without power for about 24 hours. The Park re-opened the next day, but SR-9 remained closed.

The earthquake was reported felt as far west as Las Vegas, Nevada; as far south as Flagstaff, Arizona; as far to the east as Escalante-Boulder, Utah, and as far north as Richfield, Utah.

In the St. George, Utah area, loosened plaster and minor cracks in walls were reported.

In Hurricane, Utah, windows shook, bookcases were knocked over, and goods on store shelves were shaken to floor. The earthquake caused extensive structural damage to an historical house in the city.

In Toquerville, Utah, a building and at least two automobiles were damaged from a large boulder that rolled down a hillside.

There were several reports that loud blasts were heard just prior to the shaking. One Ivins, Utah resident thought that a gas line had exploded. There were also reports of dust clouds from nearby rockslides.

Some liquefaction occurred along the Virgin River as evidenced by small sand boils and ground cracks.

No deaths or serious injuries were reported in connection with this earthquake.

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1962 – Magna, UT – M 5.2

Posted on January 14, 2020January 14, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

September 5, 1962 – Magna, UT – M 5.2

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in Magna, Utah, on Wednesday, September 5, 1962 at 9:04 a.m.

The earthquake was felt from the Ogden, Utah area in the north, down to the Provo/Spanish Fork, Utah area in the south. Widespread structural damage occurred in the Salt Lake Valley, particularly in the northwest.

Structural damage included: shattered windows, collapsed walls or ceilings, cracked foundations, cracked and falling plaster, fallen chimneys, homes shifted on foundations, and dislodged parapet walls. Cracks appeared in houses and buildings throughout the Valley. In downtown Salt Lake City, building damage was mostly limited to cracks in plaster.

Non-structural damage was also widespread and varied: overturned aquariums, store goods fallen from shelves, broken dishes and so forth. There were many reports of stopped clocks.

A number of schools were closed temporarily due to building damage or until inspections could be completed.

Water lines, gas lines and electrical service were not interrupted. One high-pressure gas leak in Davis County, Utah, was repaired after several hours. Telephones remained in service, however, circuits were jammed by calls—some for several hours. There were no reports of damage to roads or rail lines.

No deaths or serious injuries were reported for this earthquake. One person suffered a broken leg after falling on a floor made slippery by contents from broken bottles. Another person sustained a hip injury from slipping as she tried rush from a building.

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1975 – Pocatello Valley, ID – M 6.0

Posted on January 11, 2020January 11, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

March 27, 1975 – Pocatello Valley, ID – M 6.0

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred approximately 15 miles southwest of Malad City, Idaho, on Thursday, March 27, 1975 at 7:31 p.m.

Shaking from the earthquake was reported felt as far north as Idaho Falls, Idaho, as far south as Richfield, Utah, as far east as Rock Springs, Wyoming, and as far west as Wells, Nevada. However, the greatest amount of property damage occurred in Malad City, located about 40 miles from the epicenter.

The damage in Malad City was widespread—almost every home and building was affected. An April 11 newspaper report noted that 520 homes and 26 businesses were damaged by the earthquake shaking with seven homes completely destroyed.

Damage included: cracked and collapsed walls, cracked and fallen plaster, cracked foundations, buildings shifted from foundations, downed chimneys and damaged roofs, broken windows and at least one collapsed fireplace. Additionally, dishes and goods fell from shelves and were broken and pictures fell from walls. In some places in town, fallen bricks and mortar littered the streets. Phone service in some areas was temporarily interrupted.

No deaths were reported in connection with the earthquake. There was one reported injury consisting of minor cuts and bruises caused by a falling roof panel.

In the Pocatello Valley, seasonal-use buildings showed damage including: shifting off foundations, cracked walls and downed chimneys. Dishes and goods in cupboards were spilled onto floors. A silo in the area collapsed, spilling grain out onto the ground. Some irrigation wells in the area were also feared to be damaged.

Two large ground fractures north of the Utah-Idaho border were discovered. One fracture, a mile in length, and the other, 200 feet in length were later determined to be fault lines.

In some Utah communities, telephone circuits were overloaded with calls, causing temporary service outages. The earthquake caused a broken water main in Bothwell, Utah. A broken water line and damage to a school building in Salt Lake City were both attributed to the earthquake.

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1901 – Southern Utah – M 6½ ±

Posted on January 11, 2020January 11, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

November 13, 1901 – Southern Utah – M 6½ ±

A magnitude 6½ ± earthquake occurred near Richfield, Utah, at 9:39 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 1901. The earthquake was reported felt within an area of 130,000 km² (roughly 50,000 mi²).

There were reports that the earthquake was accompanied by a roaring sound. The earthquake caused suspended light fixtures to swing, and stopped clocks in many locations. There were a number of reports that the earthquake alarmed animals causing them to call out and behave erratically.

Utah towns reporting damage included: Richfield, Beaver, Joseph, and Elsinore. In these locations there were widespread instances of downed chimneys, cracked walls—particularly in stone and brick buildings, roofs damaged by falling chimneys, and broken windows. Dishes and other goods were shaken from cupboards or shelves and broken. People were greatly frightened with some fainting or rushing into the street.

No loss of life was reported as a result of this earthquake. However, there were reports of a number of near misses from falling walls and ceilings.

Near Marysvale, Utah, cracks in the ground were observed, measuring anywhere from one to 18 inches in width and from a few feet to three hundred feet in length. From some of the larger cracks, fine white sand and water was ejected.

About a mile east of Koosharem, Utah, the ground was greatly disturbed. Some places had sunk and in other places soft earth was thrown up. In one location, earth slid down covering a canal. There was also a report of large ground cracks up to three feet wide, filled with water.

Bullion and Cottonwood canyons, near Marysvale, Utah, were rendered almost impassable from large rocks that rolled down onto roads. Near Junction, Utah, large rocks rolled down from hills in East Fork canyon damaging the wagon road. In some places the water volume of creeks increased 30-50 percent.

There were reports of flashes of light along the ridges and crests of mountains in Piute and Sevier counties.

The earthquake was also reported felt in Salt Lake City, Utah, particularly by those in upper floors of buildings.

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1921 – Elsinore, UT (series) – M 6 ±

Posted on January 10, 2020January 10, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

September 29, 1921 – Elsinore, UT (series) – M 6 ±

Thursday, September 29, 1921 at 7:12 a.m., a magnitude 6 ± earthquake struck Elsinore, Utah. It was followed by two significant aftershocks: a magnitude 5.7 aftershock at 7:03 p.m. the same day, and a magnitude 6 ± aftershock two days later on Saturday, October 1 at 8:32 a.m.

September 29 Main Shock and Aftershock

There was widespread damage to buildings in the city of Elsinore, including: broken or sunk foundations, downed chimneys and gables, cracked walls and fallen plaster, and damaged roofs and ceilings from falling bricks and cement. Nearly every building the city was damaged . Damage was particularly severe for stone, brick and adobe buildings. Frame structures faired somewhat better. Firewalls at the newly built schoolhouse collapsed into the schoolyard. The walls and roof of the school were badly damaged.

No deaths occurred, but there were many near misses when people ran out of buildings while bricks and other building debris was falling.

In the town of Monroe, approximately five miles southeast of Elsinore, there were reports of cracked walls in several buildings. Goods were shaken off store shelves. A pipe trench caved-in. The Monroe hot springs water turned red.

Clouds of dust were observed in nearby canyons as large rocks and cliff sections were shaken loose and tumbled down to the canyon floor.

A significant aftershock later the same day worsened conditions of buildings already damaged earlier that morning.

October 1 Aftershock

The magnitude 6 ± aftershock on October 1 caused some new structure damage as well as worsening the condition of already damaged buildings.. Walls and roofs collapsed. A paint store in Elsinore that had been severely damaged on September 29 had its storefront collapse onto the sidewalk on October 1.

An Elsinore woman was injured from falling plaster when a chimney fell onto the roof. Nearly all residents living in stone or brick houses slept outside or with neighbors who lived in frame houses. People moved household furniture out into their yards for protection.

Dust clouds above nearby canyons were observed again as more boulders were dislodged, tumbling down into the canyon floor. Water at Monroe hot springs once again turned red. Surrounding hills displayed great white seams where the earth surface cracked.

Extensive damage occurred to buildings in Monroe. Practically all chimneys were downed or cracked severely. Some homes damaged by the main shock, were damaged so severely on October 1, they had to be torn down. Many Monroe residents slept outside, in barns, haystacks or granaries.

Some damage was reported in Richfield, Central and Joseph, Utah. A Richfield man was injured when he was struck by chimney bricks that fell through a ceiling.

Shaking from the main shock and significant aftershocks was felt from Salina, Utah, in the north, south to Marysvale, Utah.

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1994 – Draney Peak, ID – M 5.9

Posted on January 8, 2020January 8, 2020 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

February 3, 1994 – Draney Peak, ID – M 5.9

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred approximately 10 miles west of Afton, Wyoming at 2:05 a.m. on Thursday, February 3, 1994.

The earthquake was felt in parts of four states: Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. The strongest shaking was reported felt in and around the Star Valley, Wyoming area. Other cities where shaking was felt included: Pocatello, Soda Springs and Montpelier, Idaho; Jackson, Wyoming; Salt Lake City and Moab, Utah; and Grand Junction, Colorado.

Reports from Afton, Wyoming, noted that the earthquake was accompanied by a loud roaring sound. Heavy furniture and large appliances were moved by the shaking. Lamps overturned, items fell from shelves and pictures from walls. Some private water wells were muddied in Star Valley, Wyoming. Some areas reported that their pets appeared to be upset by the earthquake.

In Utah’s Salt Lake Valley, the earthquake set off a number of burglar alarms. The Salt Lake City Dispatch Center was overwhelmed with calls seeking information, making it difficult to respond had there been calls reporting serious damage or injuries.

In the epicentral area, property damage included cracked foundations, structural shifting, damage to plaster walls and chimneys, broken windows, broken dishes and food bottles. A fish hatchery near Auburn, Wyoming reported that the earthquake shifted a support wall, causing the roof of the building to sag.

No deaths or major injuries were reported for this earthquake.

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1962 – Cache Valley, UT – M 5.7

Posted on December 30, 2019December 31, 2019 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

August 30, 1962 – Cache Valley, UT – M 5.7

On Thursday, August 30, 1962 at 6:35 a.m., a magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred at the Utah-Idaho border, north of Richmond, Utah. The earthquake was reported felt in six states: Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Nevada.

There were no deaths or serious injuries reported for the earthquake. Severe property damage was reported in the Cache Valley, Utah cities of Richmond, Lewiston and Logan. There were few damage reports outside of Cache Valley, with only minor damage reported at other nearby northern Utah and southern Idaho communities.

In Richmond, reported property damage included cracked and collapsed walls and roofs, roofs broken from falling masonry, broken chimneys, cracked and fallen plaster, and broken windows. One report noted that approximately 75 percent of homes in the city received some damage. Some of these homes required repairs before being inhabitable. Others were damaged so severely they had to be razed. The Benson Stake LDS Tabernacle was damaged severely and was later torn down. North Cache High School was damaged so badly the school had to be closed for repairs.

There were also many homes damaged in the areas of Lewiston, Cornish and Trenton, Utah. Some of the damage in Lewiston included cracked walls, broken windows and roofs damaged from fallen concrete and ornamental brickwork.

In Logan, the earthquake damaged waterlines and disrupted communication lines. A power failure forced the Logan LDS Hospital and police station onto auxiliary power. Service was restored at 9:20 a.m.

Buildings in Logan suffered damage that included cracked walls, collapsed rooms, broken windows, plaster jarred loose, weakened roofs, and entire walls knocked out of plumb or partially off foundations.

Reports from these Cache Valley cities noted that decorative parapet walls on rooftops were hardest hit with many locations where masonry and broken glass fell onto city sidewalks.

A rockslide in Logan Canyon covered Highway 89 in tons of debris. In Cherry Creek Canyon east of Richmond, a large cloud of dust was observed, resulting from a massive earthquake-induced landslide.

Some farmers in upper Cache Valley observed good streams of water flowing in previously dry wells. Some reported that the earthquake appeared to upset both farm livestock and wildlife.

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1949 – Salt Lake City, UT – M 5.0

Posted on December 19, 2019December 19, 2019 by webdev

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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1909 – Hansel Valley, UT – M 6 ±

Posted on December 19, 2019December 19, 2019 by webdev

Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project

October 5, 1909 – Hansel Valley, UT – M 6 ±

A magnitude 6 ± earthquake occurred at 7:50 p.m. on October 5, 1909, approximately 25 miles west of Garland, Utah. Shaking from the earthquake was felt over an area of approximately 30,116 mi² (78,000 km²), extending from southern Idaho to northern Utah County, Utah.

Reports from Preston and Dayton, Idaho noted that the earthquake was accompanied by a distinct rumbling noise. There were reports of considerable damage in Malad, Idaho, though the type and extent of damage were not noted.

In Plymouth, Utah, the shaking frightened people and caused birds to fly from trees. At Duckville, Utah, and other locations in Bear River Valley, Utah, several chimneys were shaken down.

Shaking was felt in some areas of Cache County, Utah, terrifying people, causing some to flee from buildings and causing some to be nauseated. Dishes rattled, water was sloshed from washbasins, and wall hangings were shaken. Windows were broken, but most damage was minor. Lights went out temporarily in Logan, Utah.

The earthquake was strongly felt in Ogden, Utah. In some locations the shaking caused generators and power lines to shut down temporarily. Ogden and other locations in Weber County, Utah, reported that the shaking rattled windows and shook items from shelves. In Ogden, dishes were knocked to the floor, pictures swayed on walls and furniture was moved. The shaking was felt distinctly in upper floors of buildings.

Passengers riding on trains from Brigham City, Utah, to Salt Lake City, Utah, at the time of the earthquake reported feeling the undulations of the earth.

At Saltair Resort on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake, Utah, the resort building swayed and waves of water began rolling over the bathhouse pier. Targets at the shooting range swung back and forth.

Reports from Salt Lake City, Utah, noted that people felt the floors of their houses shift below their feet. Some people fled from buildings. People on streets had trouble walking and experienced nausea. Walls and windows were cracked. Hanging lights swung back and forth, wall pictures were shaken to the floor, dishes rattled and items were shaken from shelves. Shaking was more pronounced in higher stories of buildings. In some areas, electricity was out for several minutes. Telephone operators reported peculiar crackling of telephone wires.

No serious damage was reported and no injuries or deaths were reported for this earthquake.

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