M4.4 Earthquake 16 km SW of Thatcher, Utah — May 5, 2024
2024-05-05 23:30:14 UTC (2024-05-05) · approx. 4:30 PM UTC-7 local
Felt by 536 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.6 (moderate).
On May 5, 2024 at 23:30 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 16 km SW of Thatcher, Utah, at a depth of 7.0 km and coordinates 41.5790°, -112.4183°. The earthquake was reported felt by 536 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.6 (moderate). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 25 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 492, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Tremonton (population 7,647).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 54 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 624 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Utah, a region characterized by the Wasatch Fault zone at the eastern margin of the Basin and Range Province, where east-west extension produces normal-fault earthquakes. The nearest mapped fault system is the Wasatch Fault. View all earthquakes in Utah.
Learn more: Wasatch Fault · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 4.6 (moderate), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Mild shaking, similar to a passing truck. Hanging objects swing. Glasses and dishes may rattle. Not commonly felt outdoors.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 536 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 557,530 |
| MMI 4 | light | 1,066 |
Earthquake Details
-112.4183°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Thatcher, Utah?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck 16 km SW of Thatcher, Utah on May 5, 2024 at 23:30 UTC had a depth of 7.0 km. It was felt by 536 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.6 (moderate). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 41.5790°, -112.4183°, which is 16 km SW of Thatcher, Utah. The nearest populated place is Tremonton (population 7,647). View all earthquakes in Utah.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Utah had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Utah was the M6.6 Magna earthquake of March 18, 2020. Today's magnitude 4.4 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: uu80068651). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, May 5, 2024). M4.4 Earthquake 16 km SW of Thatcher, Utah — May 5, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/uu80068651/