earthquake stats in SLC. (Salt Lake City, Cedar City: house, living in, codes)

[hueimo]

the earthquake risk in SLC is so much above the national average, does the earthquake really happen that often here? do u experience the shake every year and which month of the year? thanks.

[cottonwood2420]

We have very small earthquakes that don't do much damage once in a while, but Salt Lake City is overdue for a large earthquake and the "Big One" is expected to happen within the next 50 years.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

There are small, not felt, earthquakes almost every day. See the USGS or the U's web sites for more infp.

[kwm03160]

Originally Posted by hueimo

the earthquake risk in SLC is so much above the national average, does the earthquake really happen that often here? do u experience the shake every year and which month of the year? thanks.

About a year ago I felt an earthquake. Other than that, you usually won't feel them. Due to the number of faults in the State, a large earthquake is overdue.

[cinnabon]

Originally Posted by cottonwood2420

We have very small earthquakes that don't do much damage once in a while, but Salt Lake City is overdue for a large earthquake and the "Big One" is expected to happen within the next 50 years.

So comforting! I'll be living in a brick house not terribly far from the fault. I've heard this, but I've also heard it could be 100 years or 200 years or more... They have a hard time making accurate long term predictions with these things, just like CA has been due for "the big one". But I guess the concern with Wasatch is that they don't get all the medium to small quakes that CA gets to release pressure, so it could just be building...

[frogandtoad]

Originally Posted by cinnabon

So comforting! I'll be living in a brick house not terribly far from the fault. I've heard this, but I've also heard it could be 100 years or 200 years or more... They have a hard time making accurate long term predictions with these things, just like CA has been due for "the big one". But I guess the concern with Wasatch is that they don't get all the medium to small quakes that CA gets to release pressure, so it could just be building...

I was just reading about this. It said a huge one hits about every 350 years and that it does tend to be very bad b/c, as you said, there are not many medium ones to release pressure...I forget how long ago the last big one was...

[cottonwood2420]

Originally Posted by frogandtoad

I was just reading about this. It said a huge one hits about every 350 years and that it does tend to be very bad b/c, as you said, there are not many medium ones to release pressure...I forget how long ago the last big one was...

We haven't had a big one since before the pioneers came.

Originally Posted by cinnabon

So comforting! I'll be living in a brick house not terribly far from the fault. I've heard this, but I've also heard it could be 100 years or 200 years or more... They have a hard time making accurate long term predictions with these things, just like CA has been due for "the big one". But I guess the concern with Wasatch is that they don't get all the medium to small quakes that CA gets to release pressure, so it could just be building...

There was a story in the news a few months ago about the earthquake and they estimated that the earthquake would cause a tidal wave from the Great Salt Lake to cover most of Weber and Davis county. Here is a link to a story the Deseret News wrote in 2006 that estimated what could happen if an earthquake hits here:
Deseret News | It's 2008 — and 'the big one' slams Utah

[Aerorick]

Knowbody knows when or where one will happen. But unless your standing next to a hundred year old brick wall you don't have much to worry about.

[dogmom]

As a native southern Californians who has lived through many earthquakes, small, large and huge, here is my take.

The problem in Utah, and probably other states too, is that they have not prepared for a major earthquake in the way that CA has..overpasses and bridges in CA have or will be retrofitted. There are a couple interstate overpasses here in Washington County that make me cringe when I go under them, skinny little pilars holding the overpass up. Building codes are not the same, lots of brick, yep when a big one hits there is going to be lots of damage, etc...

It's just a matter of the state being pro active and what i can see, they have not. Now our house is pretty new, built well...It's stucco, not brick, it will be fine..

Just prepare, get your supplies ready, by the time you figure out it's an earthquake they are usually over.

[Aerorick]

I have to admit I was thinking in terms of growing up in Southern California when I wrote of the brick wall. Everything built in California is built to codes designed expressly for the possibility of a 7.0+. While it's not foolproof it's at least a serious and constant effort. And what hasn't been up to standard in the past is retrofitted or torn down. I walk around Cedar City and see old brick retail buildings literally broken in half and settling but still open. In fact a 6.0 quake in Cedar would probably kill and injure more people than a 7.0 in all of Los Angeles. Utah runs on a shoestring. And you get what you pay for.