Funding sought for study on earthquake warning system in Utah
Legislators say even a 10 second warning could save lives.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bricks that fell from the facade of Red Rooster Records in Magna after last week's earthquake, as seen on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. During the 2022 Utah State Legislative Session, a proposed bill would look into a statewide warning system for earthquakes.
The Utah State Legislature is being asked to spend $150,000 to study whether the state could benefit from new technology that could alert people of an earthquake about to hit.
“It gives us time — even if it’s 10 seconds — it gives us time to shut things off and make it more secure and save lives,” Sen. Jani Iwamoto, D-Holladay, told FOX 13 News in an interview Friday.
She asked her colleagues on the legislature’s Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee to fund the request. It would study if Utah could successfully implement an earthquake early warning system.
To read more about the proposed technology, visit FOX 13.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.
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