Again Noticeable Earthquake Near Diemtigen

On October 15, 2014, at 9.36 p.m., an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.2 occurred once again near Diemtigen (BE) at a depth of some 9 kilometers. This was the third noticeable earthquake in this region in 2014. There were earlier noticeable earthquakes on June 25, 2014, with a magnitude of 2.6 and on May 10, 2014, with a magnitude of 2.7.

The October 15 earthquake was felt over an extensive area, but damage is generally not expected to occur when there are earthquakes of this magnitude. In addition to the shaking, many people also noticed a bang. Noises like these occur when the earthquake waves strike the surface of the earth and are a frequent accompaniment of earthquakes.

The earthquake is part of a series of earthquakes in this region that started on April 13, 2014. In the meantime, the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) has registered more than 150 quakes with magnitudes of between 0.5 and 3.2. In the past two months, earthquake activity continually subsided until last week, when the measuring instruments again recorded a new rise in activity. To study the sequence in more detail, the SED set up three temporary measuring stations in this area in July.

In so-called earthquake swarms numerous earthquakes occur over a longer period without a clear sequence of preliminary quakes, main quakes, and aftershocks. Earthquake swarms are not unusual throughout the world, as well as in Switzerland. This swarm activity usually ends after a few weeks or months; in rare cases, the strength and number of the earthquakes increase over time. The development of an earthquake swarm is just as hard to predict as earthquakes in general.