2 Utah Fault Lines Could Erupt Together

Geologists say new research shows the two main fault lines in the Salt Lake City area will erupt at the same time.

That would make the 7-magnitude quake that is expected to hit any year even bigger.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Utah Geological Survey reported the findings this week at a Seismological Society of America meeting in Salt Lake City.

Utah seismologists have suspected the Wasatch and West Valley City faults were connected. Chris DuRoss and Michael Hylland of the Utah Geological Survey confirmed it based on data from digging trenches.

Their research shows the faults jointly ruptured three times in the past 5,500 years ago.

Seismologists say Utah’s heavily-populated Wasatch Front is hit by a major earthquake about every 350 years.

The last one was more than 350 years ago.