Earthquake Now: 3.6 Magnitude Tremor Shakes West Valley City, Utah
WEST VALLEY CITY, UT – A 3.6 magnitude earthquake rattled West Valley City and surrounding areas of the Wasatch Front on Friday evening. The tremor, which struck around 6:32 p.m. MDT, was centered approximately 2.8 miles north-northwest of West Valley City, near Magna, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Residents in Taylorsville, Kearns, and Salt Lake City also reported feeling the shaking. The University of Utah Seismograph Stations estimated the earthquake’s depth at around 5.3 miles.
A Common, Though Alarming, Event
Ben Diln, from the Utah Department of Natural Resources and Utah Geological Survey, characterized the earthquake as a “small, common earthquake.” He explained that while the quake’s shallow depth, originating beneath the densely populated West Valley City, likely made it more noticeable and potentially alarming for some, it wasn’t cause for major concern.
“While the shaking was felt widely across the Salt Lake Valley and caused a sharp jolt for those near the epicenter, it is important to remember that this was a small earthquake,” Diln stated in a news release. “Seismologists categorize events of this magnitude as ‘minor.’”
Comparing to Past Earthquakes
Diln drew comparisons to the 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Magna in 2020, noting that Friday’s quake was approximately 150 times smaller and released roughly 2,000 times less energy. This context helps to understand the relative scale of the recent event.
He further emphasized that small earthquakes like this one are not necessarily precursors to a larger disaster. “It is natural to feel anxious or worried about ‘the big one’ when the ground shakes. However, it is important to emphasize that a small quake like today’s is not a signal that a larger disaster is imminent. In the vast majority of cases, these small tremors are simply part of Utah’s normal background seismic activity.”
No Damage Reported & Recent Seismic Activity
As of this report, no damage has been reported as a result of the earthquake. This event follows a 3.5 magnitude earthquake that shook areas in Utah County on February 5th, and a 4.7 magnitude earthquake near Evanston, Wyoming on January 22nd, which was felt as far south as Provo.
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