About 90% of Utah's population lives in an active earthquake zone. Large earthquakes are possible anywhere in Utah; however, they are most likely within the Intermountain Seismic Belt, a region about 100 miles wide extending north-south along the Wasatch Front and through Richfield to Cedar City and St. George.
Utah has experienced damaging earthquakes in the past and geologic evidence indicates that earthquakes larger than any experienced locally in historical time are likely in the future.
We must prepare for earthquakes as Utah is a seismically active state, our population is concentrated in the areas of greatest hazard, and many of our older buildings and lifelines have low earthquake resistance (such as unreinfored masonry buildings).
For information on earthquakes, the hazard they present, and preparedness options, see the Publications page for a variety of publications, reports, and other materials published by the USSC and associated organizations, along with the Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country publication and Web Links sections below.
