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Small earthquake hits southwestern Utah desert overnight

Cove Fort • A small earthquake hit the southwestern Utah desert overnight.

The University of Utah's seismograph stations recorded the 3.8 magnitude earthquake just before midnight Tuesday. The epicenter was 15 miles northwest of Cove Fort, a historical site in Millard County.

The university says four aftershocks occurred in the next hour, the largest of which was a 2.3 magnitude.

The university says the region has had 19 small earthquakes since 1962. The largest of those occurred in February 2001 southwest of Kanosh. That quake was a magnitude 4.0.

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