Utah Earthquake 2020
The 2020 Magna Earthquake
At 7:09 a.m. on March 18, 2020, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, often called the 2020 Salt Lake City earthquake, struck about 5 km north-northeast of Magna. It was Utah's largest since 1992.
Last reviewed
- Date and Time
- March 18, 2020, 7:09 a.m. MDT
- Magnitude
- M5.7 (Mw)
- Epicenter
- 5 km NNE of Magna, Utah
- Depth
- 11.9 km (7.4 mi)
- Largest Aftershocks
- Two M4.6, Same Day
- Felt Reports
- 26,376
March 18, 2020
What Happened in the 2020 Utah Earthquake
The shaking was felt across the Wasatch Front. In downtown Salt Lake City it lasted about 20 seconds, with the strongest shaking for about 4 to 6 seconds. More than 26,000 people reported feeling it.
No major injuries were reported, but buildings were damaged throughout the valley, most severely in Magna. Near the epicenter the ground showed liquefaction: small cracks and sand boils, and lateral spreading along the Jordan River. The fault itself did not break the surface.
Computer models (HAZUS) estimated more than $62 million in building damage and$629 million in total building-related economic losses, not counting public infrastructure.
Magna Aftershocks
Magna Earthquake Aftershocks
Aftershocks started within the hour and continued for years. Two were large enough to rattle the whole valley the same day.
Source: University of Utah Seismograph Stations. Two widely felt M4.2 aftershocks followed on April 14 and April 17, 2020.
Utah Earthquake History
Utah's Largest Recorded Earthquakes
The Magna earthquake was the largest in Utah in nearly three decades, but not the largest on record. These are the biggest earthquakes with epicenters in Utah.
| Magnitude | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| M6.6 | Near Marysvale, central Utah | |
| M6.6 | Hansel Valley, north of the Great Salt Lake | |
| M6.3 | Near Pine Valley, southwestern Utah | |
| M5.9 | Same day as Hansel Valley (35 km SSW of Howell) | |
| M5.9 | St. George area (3 km SSE of Washington) | |
| M5.8 | Cache Valley (8 km W of Garden City) | |
| M5.7 | Magna, Salt Lake Valley |
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Magnitudes of early 20th-century earthquakes are estimates.
Why It Matters
Was the 2020 Utah Earthquake Expected?
Magna was not a surprise to seismologists. A 2016 forecast gave the Wasatch Front a 93% chance of at least one magnitude 5 or larger earthquake in 50 years, and a 43% chance of an M6.75 or larger. The 2020 earthquake released only a small fraction of the energy of the magnitude 7 events the Wasatch Fault is capable of.
Most studies tie the sequence to the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Fault, deep beneath the west side of the valley, with some shallower aftershocks on the West Valley fault zone. Small earthquakes from the area still show up on theSalt Lake City earthquake map.
2020 Utah Earthquake Questions
Magna Earthquake FAQ
How Big Was the Earthquake in Utah in 2020?
What Was the Biggest Earthquake Ever Recorded in Utah?
What Time Was the Magna Earthquake?
Was Anyone Hurt in the Magna Earthquake?
How Many Aftershocks Were There?
Which Fault Caused the 2020 Magna Earthquake?
Did Fracking Cause the Magna Earthquake?
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