3.6-magnitude earthquake rattles West Valley City area Friday evening
Residents across the Salt Lake Valley felt a sharp jolt Friday evening when a 3. 6-magnitude earthquake struck just northwest of Magna. The tremor occurred at about 8: 32 p. m. ET and was shallow enough that many people near the epicenter experienced a noticeable shake.
What happened
The temblor registered magnitude 3. 6 and hit at roughly 8: 32 p. m. ET on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. The epicenter was located a few miles north-northwest of West Valley City, with the ground movement lasting only seconds but producing a distinct, sudden jolt for those nearby.
Epicenter and technical details
Data placed the epicenter about 2. 8 miles north-northwest of West Valley City, just northwest of the small community of Magna. The estimated focal depth was approximately 5. 3 miles, making this a relatively shallow event; shallow quakes often feel stronger at the surface than deeper ones of the same magnitude.
How widely it was felt
People in West Valley City, Magna, Taylorsville, Kearns and parts of Salt Lake City reported feeling the rumble. Though brief, the shaking was felt broadly across the valley and prompted calls and social-media posts from residents checking on neighbors and household damage. No widespread damage or injuries have been identified.
Official perspective
Ben Diln of the Utah Department of Natural Resources and the Utah Geological Survey described the event as "a small, common earthquake. " He noted the shallow depth beneath a densely populated area likely made the jolt feel stronger to some, but emphasized the quake itself was minor in scale.
Seismologists classify events of this magnitude as minor; experts stressed that small, local tremors are a normal part of the region's background seismicity and do not signal an imminent larger disaster.
Recent seismic context and what it means
Friday's tremor came about a week after a magnitude 3. 5 quake shook parts of Utah County on Feb. 5, and a few weeks after a 4. 7 event near Evanston, Wyoming on Jan. 22 that was felt across a broad swath of the Intermountain West. Officials pointed out that even though these events are unnerving, they vary widely in size and energy release; the 3. 6 quake Friday released far less energy than larger historic events in the area.
Residents are reminded that preparedness steps — securing heavy items, having an emergency kit and knowing how to "Drop, Cover and Hold On" during shaking — remain the best actions to reduce risk from earthquakes of any size.
Aftershocks and monitoring
Minor aftershocks are possible following a quake of this size, though the likelihood of significant additional shaking is low. Monitoring continues, and seismologists will track any further activity in the days ahead. Officials encourage anyone who experiences damage or safety concerns to contact local emergency services.
