All earthquakes
1.7
very light
EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

2 km South-East of Cavallerleone

58 months ago · 2 Dec, 10:23

A very light earthquake, probably not felt by people. Being deep, it is felt less at the surface.

Stronger than 78% of Italian events in the past year

Where

2 km South-East of CavallerleoneEarthquakes in the province of CuneoEarthquakes in Piemonte

How far away could it be felt?

A quake this small is usually not felt by people: only seismographs record it.

Statistical estimate from the Italian intensity attenuation model (INGV): actual perception depends on geology, buildings and depth. Very shallow events can be felt locally even below the threshold.

Earthquake map

3 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

The energy released

How much energy this quake unleashed, translated into everyday comparisons.

5.4kgof TNT equivalent
Less than the energy of a lightning bolt
M3
A magnitude 3 earthquake releases ×89 its energy
M1this quakeM3

Each extra magnitude unit releases about 32 times more energy: an M5 is not "a bit stronger" than an M4 — it is a different league.

Energy estimated with the standard Gutenberg–Richter relation; an average lightning bolt ≈ 1 billion joules. Indicative values.

The race of the seismic waves

Two waves set off from the hypocentre: the faster P wave arrives first with a sharp jolt; the S wave carries the actual shaking.

P waves — the first sharp jolt (~6 km/s)S waves — the strongest shaking (~3.5 km/s)
t ≈ 17 s

Animation sped up ~3× compared to reality.

  • Moncalieri
    28 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~7 s
    main shaking in ~13 s
  • Cuneo
    36 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~8 s
    main shaking in ~14 s
  • Torino
    42 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~9 s
    main shaking in ~16 s
  • Asti
    49 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~10 s
    main shaking in ~17 s

Theoretical times with average crustal speeds: real values vary with geology. The gap between P and S waves is what earthquake early-warning systems rely on.

How deep it was born

35 km
deep
4 times the height of Mount Everest

Being deep, it is felt less at the surface.

deeper than the area average (~13 km)

For the same magnitude, a shallow earthquake is felt much more than a deep one: the energy starts closer to the surface.

What kind of quake is this?

Mainshock

It is the strongest quake of its sequence: so far it has been followed by one aftershock within 30 km. Aftershocks tend to fade in number and strength over time.

Activity in the area right now (30 km radius)
0
last 24 hours
0
last 7 days
0
last 30 days
1 before1 after
this quake
Strongest of the sequence1.4

How often does it happen here?

about every ~32 days

Within 50 km of this epicentre, a magnitude ≥ 2 earthquake has occurred on average this often: 135 events in the last 12 years of the INGV catalogue.

An average computed on the recent past: it tells how used this area is to shaking, not when the next quake will come — earthquakes cannot be predicted.

The great earthquakes in this area's history

Almost a thousand years of catalogues: the strongest documented events within ~50 km.

18085.6
Val Pellice earthquake
2 April 1808 · 34 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
18085.3
Val Pellice earthquake
16 April 1808 · 30 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
19145.2
Torinese earthquake
26 October 1914 · 43 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
18865.2
Torinese earthquake
5 September 1886 · 44 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).

The closest seismic structure

Southern Piemonte

The epicentre sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.

estimated maximum magnitude 6.3between 2 and 8 km deep

Faults are mapped to build better and understand the territory: knowing them says nothing about when an earthquake will occur, which remains unpredictable. Source: DISS 3.3 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).

Other quakes in the area

1.4
58 months ago
4 Dec, 02:51
0.9
2 km South-East of Piasco
24 km South-West · 10 km
58 months ago
24 Nov, 15:35

Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)

Estimates computed by Meteare on INGV data (Gutenberg–Richter relation; Italian macroseismic intensity attenuation model).

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