Earthquake Preparedness Video from Utah

DEM Blogger

April 3, 2014

When we think of earthquakes, the first place that comes to mind is usually California and the rest of the Pacific Coast. Those of us who look at local and regional disaster preparedness may also think about the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which centers more-or-less on the Kentucky-Missouri-Tennessee border region. We don’t often consider Utah to be earthquake country – but the Wasatch Fault, centered on the northern part of that state, has historically produced strong earthquakes every 350 to 400 years.

Our counterparts at Be Ready Utah put together the following video to raise public awareness and to promote their Great Utah Shakeout event. It illustrates the potential effects of a magnitude 7.0 quake on the Wasatch Front region, which includes Salt Lake City. Much of the science behind these predictions comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster modeling software. It’s a realistic, albeit sobering, look at the effect a significant quake can have on a modern American city. Take five minutes to check it out.