April 15, 2010

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake hit five miles northeast of Randolph at 5:59 p.m. according to the University of Utah Seismograph Stations.
A 4.9 is a "light" earthquake, according to Kristine Pankow, associate director of the University of Utah Seismograph Stations. It wouldn't be enough to knock people over, but people would feel it, she said. However, it was the largest quake since 1992, she said. On average, Utah gets an earthquake of about magnitude 5 every 10 years. The Crawford Fault runs through the Randolph area. The entire Interstate 15 corridor is a seismically active area. People in Salt Lake City, 78 miles from the epicenter, felt the quake. There were reports of buildings -- especially several-story structures -- swaying and light fixtures rattling.

I was sitting in my big soft chair reading. For about 30 seconds, the TV was swaying, my CDs were rattling, and a pair of jeans hanging off the exercycle looked like they were in a breeze. I felt like I was on water, rolling on waves. OK, I was a little scared because it felt so unstable and I realized I had nowhere to go to be safe. And it seemed to go on too long. I sent in a report to the USGS: