Utah earthquake measuring at a 5.7 is the first since 1992.
A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit outside Salt Lake City, Utah, early Wednesday morning, according to the governor. This earthquake was the last one since 1992, according to Utah Emergency Management.
Due to the earthquake, the Salt Lake City Airport was shut down, officials reported.
Officials estimate there have been at least six aftershocks ranging from 3.0 to 3.5 magnitude. The Utah Division of Emergency Management issued a statement saying residents will most likely continue to feel aftershocks throughout Wednesday. The agency also recommends residents keep a flashlight and shoes next to their beds and develop a plan that including strapping water heaters to their studs.
In a statement, Gov. Gary Herbert said the Utah Department of Health state lab is analyzing damage, the poison control center has been evacuated, and the Utah Coronavirus Taskforce hotline is down.
The Utah Transportation Association announced all TRAX trains are shut down until further notice. Buses will continue normal operations as usual, but there may be delays. Salt Lake County is working to make sure to limit collateral damage from the earthquake and aftershocks, including gas leaks, power outages, and car crashes.
In related world news, economists predict the economy will get worse due to the coronavirus. Coronavirus is causing a disastrous impact on the economy. Now, Wall Street economists forecast things will get worse in the future.
Ian Shepherdson, a chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, says things will get worse. “We now guesstimate that second-quarter GDP will drop at a 10% annualized rate, after a 2% fall in Q1,” said Ian Shepherdson, said in a note to clients on Monday. His forecast suggests consumer spending will decrease in the next few months. “We are becoming more pessimistic about the near-term economic outlook,” Shepherdson says.