Recent earthquakes

The rapid provision of information on earthquakes, and the assessment of their damage potential, is of crucial significance for governmental and local authority agencies and organisations to enable them to implement the necessary emergency measures when required.

Comprehensive regular manual data analysis is undertaken by experts based on the results of the automatic data processing. Source: BGR

In Germany, even weak earthquakes attract attention as soon as they are felt, and cause people to reach for the telephone. It is therefore necessary to implement measures such as quickly informing local police stations. On the other hand, disastrous earthquakes outside of Germany require decision makers to be provided with reliable information as quickly as possible to enable them to efficiently organise international emergency and aid measures. The presentation of the recent seismicity to the interested members of the public, even when less spectacular earthquakes are involved, also helps them become more aware of earthquakes as a georisk factor.

 

Automatic processes are used to continually evaluate the seismic signals recorded by German seismometer stations, and to publish the parameters of detected earthquakes as quickly as possible. Information from international earthquakes is also integrated in the system. Manual evaluation of the seismic events usually takes place on the following day but also within only a few hours in the case of major earthquakes. The information system also continuously updates the published findings as soon as more precise parameters are determined for a recent earthquake, such as when information becomes available after some time from a larger amount of measurement data. 

 

These results for Germany and earthquakes around the world which took place within the last 12 months are shown at the links detailed below.

Events in Germany and the surrounding areas over the last 12 months.

Global events over the last 12 months.