Kaleb Wayne Ott

Barry Neilson

Natural Disasters

Spring, 2018

Disaster Preparedness Plan

The potential threats in my area from natural disasters is not necessarily at the greatest

extent. In Salt Lake City, Utah, the most dangerous and obvious threat, would come from an

earthquake. Living right across a fault line and placement of the state, creates the most credible

sources and information about a major earthquake happening in Utah. Earthquakes alone cause

little direct danger to humans. However, the more you increase population and the structure

that’s come with them, the more hazards increase. Buildings can collapse from the shaking or

sink due to liquefaction. Ground displacement cause happen along the fault line leaving ripped

apart structures. Flooding or fires can also start from earthquakes.

Research done by the University of Utah shows that, there is a 57% probability (over 1 in

2 chance) that a magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquake will occur in the Wasatch Front region in

the next 50 years (Roberson, 2017). With over 800 unnoticeable earthquakes a year in Utah

alone, it shows likely sources of large earthquakes in the future. The seismic hazard is highest

around the north-south of Utah, and this risk becomes especially dangerous when you see that

2.3 of the 2.9 million Utah residents, live literally adjacent to the Wasatch Fault. The faults
shown on the map are considered geologically active, have been sources of large earthquakes

and are the most likely sources of large earthquakes for the future. (Map on Page 3)

For this future natural disaster, Utah is prepared with the help of the Utah Earthquake

Program. The Utah Earthquake Program is a strong partnership that unites diverse professionals

working cooperatively to reduce earthquake losses and risk in Utah. These gathered

professionals being UGS, UUSS, and the UDEM. This team developed a map, so the public

could more fully understand the hazard from earthquakes and faults, as well as the resulting risk

to property, infrastructure, and life safety in Utah (University of Utah, 2017). The UUSS also

helps maintain a network of 194 seismic stations, which generate 632 distinct channels of data,

to monitor Utah seismicity. This network is designed to be robust with respect to power and

telemetry failures. Last thing is to make sure you’re prepared.

 References

http://quake.utah.edu/publications/reports/earthquake-database-for-utah-geological-survey-map-

277-utah-earthquakes-1850-2016-and-quaternary-faults-utah-geological-survey-open-file-report-

667

http://quake.utah.edu/outreach-education/utahs-earthquake-threat