- Departing flights at the Salt Lake City airport were grounded Wednesday morning after the area experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake.
- The Federal Aviation Administration evacuated the flight control tower at the airport because of the earthquake, the agency said in a statement.
- Flights arriving to the airport are being directed to other airports, the FAA said.
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Flights set to take off from Salt Lake City International Airport were grounded on Wednesday after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the area.
The Federal Aviation Administration evacuated the airport's flight control tower because of the earthquake. All arriving flights to Salt Lake City are being directed to other airports, the FAA said in a statement.
The groundings have the potential to impact flights around the country, as Salt Lake City's airport serves as a major hub for Delta Air Lines.
The 5.7 magnitude earthquake was the largest to hit Utah since a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the state in 1992, the University of Utah said. Dozens of aftershocks were felt in the area following the earthquake.
The airport and the Salt Lake Temple were damaged, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
#FAA statement below regarding the evacuation of the air traffic control tower at @SLCairport following an earthquake this morning. pic.twitter.com/GYgdhSHHBL
- The FAA (@FAANews) March 18, 2020WATCH: Residents of the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City line up for food and supplies after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake shook the city and its suburbs early Wednesday.
An estimated 2.76 million felt the quake, according to the @USGS pic.twitter.com/iF5Gq2ZtLx
- QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) March 18, 2020There's a river of water running through the middle of the slc airport now cool cool cool pic.twitter.com/8oyU5enFG4
- TJ (@TJePatton) March 18, 2020