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2.6
light
EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

1 km North of Coassolo Torinese

24 months ago · 3 Sept, 04:15

A light earthquake, rarely felt by people. At only a few km deep the shaking is felt more sharply at the surface.

Stronger than 96% of Italian events in the past yearThe strongest of the past 12 months within 50 km

Where

1 km North of Coassolo TorineseEarthquakes in the province of TorinoEarthquakes 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

6 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

The energy released

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

120kgof TNT equivalent
Less than the energy of a lightning bolt
M3
A magnitude 3 earthquake releases ×4 its energy
M2this quakeM4

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 ≈ 26 s

Animation sped up ~5× compared to reality.

  • Torino
    33 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~6 s
    main shaking in ~10 s
  • Moncalieri
    45 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~8 s
    main shaking in ~13 s
  • Asti
    75 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~13 s
    main shaking in ~22 s
  • Novara
    90 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~15 s
    main shaking in ~26 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

6 km
shallow

At only a few km deep the shaking is felt more sharply at the surface.

shallower than the area average (~12 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)
1
last 24 hours
1
last 7 days
4
last 30 days
4 before1 after
this quake
Strongest of the sequence1.4

How often does it happen here?

about every ~11 months

Within 50 km of this epicentre, a magnitude ≥ 2.5 earthquake has occurred on average this often: 13 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.

19145.2
Torinese earthquake
26 October 1914 · 33 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 · 36 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
17535.2
Val Chisone earthquake
9 March 1753 · 50 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
17675.1
Valli di Lanzo earthquake
26 May 1767 · 8 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.

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

The closest seismic structure

Western Piemonte

The epicentre lies about 34 km from Western Piemonte, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.

estimated maximum magnitude 7.1between 1 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

0.9
6 km West of Balme
29 km West · 7 km
24 months ago
7 Sept, 09:18
1.3
3 km West of Balme
25 km West · 7 km
24 months ago
26 Aug, 17:57
0.8
4 km North of Castelnuovo Nigra
23 km North-East · 9 km
24 months ago
25 Aug, 07:24
1.4
4 km North-West of Varisella
14 km South · 12 km
25 months ago
18 Aug, 12:52
0.6
2 km South of Monastero di Lanzo
3 km South-West · 7 km
25 months ago
13 Aug, 06:47

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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