An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale jolted the US state of Utah, on Wednesday, according to the authorities.
No casualties or damages have been reported, the authorities further added.
The quake struck in the earl hours of the day near Magna, a Metro Township with over 26,000 residents located about 23 km east of Salt Lake City, the state capital, according to reports.
As a result of the temblor, 50,000 people in nearby areas were without any electricity and the state’s coronavirus hotline was cut down.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 6 km northwest of Magna.
Some people ran from their homes and into the streets as dishes fell from shelves and pictures from walls. Operations at Salt Lake City International Airport stopped, and the control tower and concourses were evacuated, the airport tweeted. The airport was expected to reopen later Wednesday.
The quake also shut down the light rail service for Salt Lake City and its suburbs.
Magna Metro Township had declared a state of emergency, saying “this earthquake has caused damages to property and displaced residents in the municipality”.
Taking to Twitter, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said, “I know the last thing we need right now is an earthquake. But here we are, and it sounds like aftershocks are likely. The City is assessing the situation now and I’ll circle back with an update when I have it. Be safe.”
The Utah Division of Emergency Management said that Wednesday’s quake was the largest to hit the state since 1992.
(With inputs from agency)