As of: February 5, 2024, 5:23 a.m
By: Lisa Metzger
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In the past few weeks, seismologists have repeatedly recorded earthquakes in southern Bavaria.
These appear to occur more frequently than usual.
The danger behind paradise.
Munich – Earthquakes are among the most devastating natural disasters that exist.
If the earth shakes, destruction and death often occur.
As was recently seen in the terrible earthquakes in southeast Turkey.
The strength of the earthquake, i.e. the magnitude, always plays a role.
Earthquake researchers, called seismologists, measure these using special instruments.
Compared to the high-risk areas of the world, such as California, strong tremors occur very rarely in this country and in Central Europe.
Until now.
Tremors noticeable in Bavaria: More than 40 earthquakes since the beginning of the year
Because what has been happening in the Alpine region over the past few weeks has even surprised earthquake researchers, as Austrian seismologist Rita Meurers from
Geosphere Austria
reported to BR.
The seismologists have now measured more than 40 smaller earthquakes in Tyrol in the area of St. Johann and Waidring in the Austrian-Bavarian border area - since the beginning of the year.
For the researchers, the frequency with which they record the earthquakes is an unusual phenomenon.
Deceptive idyll: In the first weeks of 2024, seismologists repeatedly recorded smaller earthquakes on the Bavarian-Austrian border.
© Imago/Pond5Images/Zoonar
An earthquake on February 1st was felt particularly intensely and was felt far beyond the Bavarian border.
Smaller earthquakes also occurred between Ehrwald and Imst.
The strength of these earthquakes is often above the standard value of 3, on the earthquake scale from 1 to 10.
From this magnitude onwards, the tremors can already be felt.
But they are not dangerous, emphasizes Joachim Wassermann from the Geophysical Observatory at Ludwig Maximilian University to BR.
Even stronger earthquakes are unlikely in Bavaria.
The last earthquake that reached a value of 5 on the Richter scale occurred in Eichstätt more than 100 years ago.
Quakes close to magnitude 5 occur approximately every 70 years
The proximity to Austria also has an impact on Bavaria: the Tyrolean Inn Valley is particularly susceptible to earthquakes.
An earthquake measuring between 4.6 and 4.8 is measured between Innsbruck and the Fern Pass approximately every 70 years.
According to BR information, the last major tremor occurred in the municipality of Namlos in the Reutte district.
Researcher Michael Krautblatter from the Chair of Slope Movements at the Technical University of Munich has discovered that earthquakes occur more frequently in this region.
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An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 occurred near Gloggnitz (Lower Austria) at around 3 a.m. on February 1st.
(Archive image) © Handl/imagebroker/Imago Screenshot GeoSphere
(By the way: Our Bayern newsletter informs you daily about all the important stories from Bavaria.)
10 communities in Bavaria affected by series of earthquakes
But it is not yet possible to announce earthquakes in advance.
Seismologist Meurers also confirms this in the BR.
For this reason alone, in your opinion, we are dependent on feedback from the population.
In the past few weeks, the Austrian research team has received over 120 reports from Bavaria alone.
The list of Bavarian places is long:
Schoenau upon Kings sea
Ruhpolding
Schneizlreuth
Bavarian Gmain
Bad Reichenhall
Reit im Winkl
Schleching
Oberwössen
Kiefersfelden
Kolbermoor
People were startled by everything from a harmless tremor to a loud bang.
However, the Bavarian Seismological Service has given the all-clear for the time being: no one in Bavaria needs to be afraid of a large earthquake like the one in Japan or Turkey at the moment.
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