Where does the earth shake most often in Austria? The year 2024 will bring surprising results. One region in particular is recording an exceptionally high number of earthquakes – well above the average of recent years. But other states were not spared from the shocks.
In 2024, 140 earthquakes were felt by the people of Austria. “This is well above the average of 67 noticeable earthquakes per year over the past ten years,” seismologist Rita Meurers from Geosphere Austria said on Monday. However, the experts do not note that “a trend towards more earthquakes in Austria fluctuates significantly from year to year”. This year, a series in the Waidring-Pillersee area in Tyrol is mainly responsible for the increase.
15 earthquakes above magnitude 3.0
“Fifty earthquakes were felt there,” the seismologist explained. Last year, 15 earthquakes in Austria reached a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. This number of strong earthquakes is three times higher than the average of the past ten years.
In total, approximately 9,300 seismic events were recorded worldwide in 2024 using the Geosphere network of earthquake stations. About 1,600 earthquakes occurred locally in Austria, of which 133 were felt by the population. In addition, seven earthquakes from neighboring countries were felt in Austria. All data is as of 11am on Monday 30 December.
Strongest local earthquake on Semmering
The strongest earthquake of the year in Austria occurred on February 1 near Semmering in Lower Austria. At a magnitude of 4.6, minor damage was caused to many buildings in the epicentral area. “There were cracks in the plaster and walls, pieces of plaster had fallen down and there was damage to chimneys,” says Meurers. “Some roof tiles also fell down, books fell off shelves and small objects fell over.” , with a magnitude of 3.9, there were numerous reports of minor damage in the Waidring-Pillersee area.
The number of instrumentally recorded earthquakes in Austria was about 1,600, above the average of previous years. The reason for this was several series of earthquakes and the consolidation of the seismological monitoring network in Austria.
Most earthquakes occurred in Tyrol and Styria
The most tremors were recorded in Tyrol, where 70 earthquakes were felt, the majority of which can be attributed to an extraordinary series in the Waidring-Pillersee area. Styria follows with twenty noticeable earthquakes, which according to Geosphere is twice as many as the average of the past ten years. This increase was mainly caused by a series of earthquakes in the regions of Leibnitz, Unzmarkt and Leoben. Lower Austria ranks third with 16 felt earthquakes, which corresponds to an average year. Thirteen earthquakes were felt in Carinthia, nine of which had their epicenter in the Zell-Pfarre area. Nine earthquakes were recorded in Vorarlberg, mainly in the Wald am Arlberg region, and five palpable earthquakes in Upper Austria, four of which were in the Steyrling region.
In Austria, seven earthquakes were felt from neighboring countries. The epicenters were in the Czech Republic, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Switzerland.
About 14,000 experience reports
About 13,950 observation reports reached the Austrian Seismological Service via the online observation form and the app “QuakeWatch Austria”, which has been available since March 2021. The leader was the strongest earthquake in Semmering with more than 3,500 reports.
Source: Krone
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