The Wasatch Fault, the largest fault line in Utah, is due for an earthquake of a magnitude 6.75 or larger within the next 50 years, according to local nonprofit Envision Utah.
Envision Utah and other agencies work to help Utahns plan for the future. And Wasatch Front residents must be prepared for the “big one,” which could hit at any time along the fault line.
The state received a wake-up call in March 2020 when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Magna. Approximately 90% of Utah’s population lives in active earthquake zones, so residents must learn how to stay safe and be prepared in the event of a major earthquake.
Disaster preparedness, especially relating to an earthquake, can look different for each person. Anna Straup, a substance abuse counselor student at Salt Lake Community College, was in Salt Lake City when the 2020 earthquake hit.
“Well, it was kind of shocking,” Straup said. “That’s the earthquake I remember the most in my life — not because it was more recent — I don’t think that I’ve ever experienced an earthquake like that.”
The Great Utah ShakeOut is a statewide earthquake drill that helps people learn what to do during an earthquake. In 2024, over 900,000 people registered to participate in the drill, including K-12 students, office workers, colleges, and healthcare workers.
Kymmy Pitkin, a first-year student at SLCC, admitted to not being fully prepared for the next earthquake. She also worries about what the 2020 earthquake did to the Wasatch Fault line.
“[I feel] anxious, and scared. [I] feel like I’m terrified to have another earthquake because I feel like it’s going to be worse, so I am sure [the 2020 quake] it affected the fault line somehow,” Pitkin said. “I don’t feel like we as a state are prepared if we have another one.”
There is more to being prepared than just knowing what to do during an earthquake. The University of Utah Department of Public Safety recommends assembling a 14-day supply of food and water in the home and a 72-hour kit at work. Residents and workers should also know the emergency procedures and the locations of the emergency exits in their building.
“Awareness-wise, [I’m] probably more prepared that way,” Straup said. “Do I want to be more prepared? Yes. I have food storage, and I try to rotate it out, but I don’t think it is sufficient for that magnitude of event. But what I have is enough for immediate needs, not long term.”
During an earthquake, the Earthquake Country Alliance suggests remembering these three steps:
- Drop to the ground, before the earthquake drops you.
- Find something to take cover under, like a desk or a table.
- Hold on to the legs until you feel the shaking stop.
The next Great Utah ShakeOut will be held on April 17, 2025. For more information on how to stay safe during an earthquake, go to Great Utah ShakeOut.
