April 17, 2013
The Great Utah ShakeOut – this morning 10:15am!
Posted by Austin Elliott
Today at 10:15am Mountain Daylight Time (UTC -8) tens of thousands of Utahns will Drop, Cover, and Hold On in a massive earthquake drill set to alert the state to the dangers posed by its numerous fault lines.
The Utah ShakeOut is one of many large-scale earthquake scenario exercises (drills) that take place around the country and around the world. It is sponsored by a whole host of federal agencies and corporate partners, and involves not only voluntary public participation but coordinated inter-agency exercises to simulate a post-quake response in the state.
Here’s media to play during your own ShakeOut exercise:
http://www.shakeout.org/utah/drill/broadcast/
[youtube=http://youtu.be/OXIM4Nf3gZk]
Scientists have calculated a number of potential earthquake scenarios for Utah, compiled here. A quake on the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch fault is the most destructive example, but the state is littered with earthquake faults, and so destructive earthquakes could happen anywhere.