Earthquake today: 4.7-magnitude quake rocks Utah–Wyoming area, over 1,600 report feeling tremors
The quake’s epicentre was located about 25 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming, at a depth of 8.4 miles. Nearly 1,600 people reported feeling the tremor.
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake hit near the border between Utah and Wyoming on Thursday morning, shaking buildings in Salt Lake City, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). There were no reports of any damage caused by the earthquake.
The quake’s epicentre was located about 25 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming, at a depth of 8.4 miles. Nearly 1,600 people reported feeling the tremor, Newsweek reported.
This came just two days after a 4.9-magnitude earthquake jolted Indio, California. The tremors were felt across Southern California, including San Diego, Palm Springs, Temecula, and Riverside.
The earthquake struck the region shortly before 9 p.m. EDT on Monday at a shallow depth of 3 kilometres. The epicentre was located approximately 19 km north-northeast of Indio, California.
The earthquake was initially reported as a 5.1-magnitude event but was later downgraded to 4.9, according to the USGS.
California lies in one of the world’s most active seismic zones. The state is crossed by more than 500 known active faults, including the well-known San Andreas Fault system. This fault has caused major earthquakes in the past and continues to pose a risk of future seismic activity.
Do small earthquakes happen often in California?
Although the recent Petrolia earthquake was minor, California experiences frequent seismic activity across both Northern and Southern regions. These range from very small quakes that go unnoticed to moderate events with magnitudes close to 4.0 or higher.
In parts of Northern California, including the San Ramon and Bay Area regions, clusters or swarms of small earthquakes have been reported. These involve dozens of minor tremors occurring over a short period. Such swarms do not usually indicate that a larger earthquake is imminent but are common in areas with complex fault systems.
Low-magnitude earthquakes, such as the 2.3 event near Petrolia, help scientists track how faults behave and how stress builds underground. Seismologists study these smaller quakes to map fault lines, understand underground structures, and improve earthquake monitoring.
How do early warning systems help?
California uses early warning systems like ShakeAlert and statewide preparedness programmes that rely on dense networks of seismic sensors. These systems detect earthquakes as they begin and can send alerts seconds before stronger shaking reaches an area.
Early warning systems do not predict earthquakes. Instead, they detect seismic activity in real time and send alerts to phones and critical infrastructure. These few extra seconds can allow people to “DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON”, a safety practice recommended by emergency planners to reduce the risk of injury during an earthquake.