The 1962 Cache Valley earthquake was a magnitude Mw5.9 earthquake that occurred on Thursday, 30 August 1962 at approximately 6:35 AM MT north of Richmond, Utah, United States, at the border between Utah and Idaho. No people were killed in the quake. The quake caused between US $1–2 million in damage.
  Salt Lake City  | |
| UTC time | 1962-08-30 13:35:28 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 875249 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 30 August 1962 |
| Local time | 06:35 a.m. MDT |
| Magnitude | ML5.9 |
| Depth | 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) |
| Epicenter | 41°55′01″N 111°43′59″W / 41.917°N 111.733°W |
| Fault | East Cache Fault |
| Areas affected | Utah, Idaho |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong) |
| Casualties | 1+ injured |
Earthquake
editThe 1962 Cache Valley earthquake occurred on Thursday, 30 August 1962 at 6:35 AM MT at the border of Utah and Idaho, north of Richmond, Utah in the United States.[1] In addition to Utah and Idaho, the quake was felt in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.[1][2]
Magnitude and intensity
editThere is disagreement on the size of this earthquake. The United States Geological Survey report shows a magnitude Mw5.9,[3] and the report from the Intermountain Seismic Belt Historical Earthquake Project at the University of Utah shows a magnitude of Mw5.7.[4][1] At least one news outlet stated the University of Utah recorded the quake as being a magnitude Mw 5.5.[2] The Mercalli intensity was reported as VII (Very Strong).[5]
Destruction
editProperty damage was estimated between US$1–2 million (US$8.5–17 million in 2020).[6][7][8] At the time of the quake, it was the most costly in the history of Utah.[8] Most of the damage was in Richmond, but the nearby towns of Logan, Franklin, Lewiston, and Preston also had some damage.[9]
The building with the most significant damage was the LDS Benson Stake Tabernacle in Richmond, which was eventually torn down due to the extensive structural issues caused by the quake.[1][9] Several older houses also had to be torn down due to the damage received.[9] There was extensive damage to North Cache High School, headstones in the cemetery were knocked over, and many houses had collapsed chimneys and masonry, broken windows, and cracked walls. The high school had to be closed for repairs.[1][9]
No people were killed in the quake.[2] One person was cut on her foot by a broken bottle.[2]
Legacy
editA commemorative event was held in Richmond on 30 August 2012.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "1962 – Cache Valley, UT – M 5.7". University of Utah. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d Dunn, Scott (9 October 2012). "5 biggest earthquakes ever to happen in Utah". KSL.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ "M 5.9 – Utah Overview". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ "Earthquake Summary" (PDF). University of Utah. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "M 5.9 – Utah Impact Summary". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ "$2,000,000 in 1962 → $17,093,708.61 today". Official Data Foundation. Archived from the original on 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ "Significant Earthquake UTAH". National Geophysical Data Center. 30 August 1962. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "Richmond commemorating 50th anniversary of major earthquake". CacheValleyDaily.com. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d Givens, Jason A. (12 December 2006). "Earthquake: No one knows when the 'big one' might hit Cache Valley". Utah State University. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2020.