All earthquakes
1.4
very light
EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

M1.4 earthquake · 2 km South-East of Laghi (VI)

8 years ago · 6 Sept 2018, 03:50

A very light earthquake, probably not felt by people. At this depth the shaking is felt, but rarely causes damage.

Stronger than 63% of Italian events in the past year

Where

2 km South-East of LaghiEarthquakes in the province of VicenzaEarthquakes in Veneto

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

14 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

The energy released

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

1.9kgof TNT equivalent
Less than the energy of a lightning bolt
M3
A magnitude 3 earthquake releases ×251 its energy
M0this quakeM2

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 ≈ 20 s

Animation sped up ~4× compared to reality.

  • Trento
    27 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~5 s
    main shaking in ~9 s
  • Vicenza
    38 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~7 s
    main shaking in ~12 s
  • Verona
    48 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~8 s
    main shaking in ~14 s
  • Padova
    68 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~12 s
    main shaking in ~20 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

14 km
medium depth
1.6 times the height of Mount Everest

At this depth the shaking is felt, but rarely causes damage.

deeper than the area average (~6 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?

Aftershock

It is an aftershock: it follows a stronger quake (M2.3, 8 years ago) in the same area. Aftershocks are normal after an earthquake and tend to fade over time.

2.3
The mainshock
4 km West of Torrebelvicino
8 years ago · 15 Aug 2018, 11:27
Activity in the area right now (30 km radius)
0
last 24 hours
2
last 7 days
5
last 30 days
5 before8 after
this quake
Strongest of the sequence2.3

How often does it happen here?

about every ~36 days

Within 50 km of this epicentre, a magnitude ≥ 2 earthquake has occurred on average this often: 119 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.

16956.4
Asolano earthquake
25 February 1695 · 50 km from here
XCompletely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
18915.9
Valle d'Illasi earthquake
7 June 1891 · 31 km from here
IXDestructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
18365.5
Asolano earthquake
12 June 1836 · 43 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
19325.2
Garda orientale earthquake
19 February 1932 · 47 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

Schio-Vicenza

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

estimated maximum magnitude 7.3between 1 and 15 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

1.0
0 km East of Laghi
2 km North-West · 15 km
8 years ago
6 Sept 2018, 03:58
1.1
8 years ago
9 Sept 2018, 18:43
1.1
2 km West of Ala
22 km West · 10 km
8 years ago
9 Sept 2018, 20:49
0.8
2 km West of Ala
22 km West · 5 km
8 years ago
13 Sept 2018, 08:50
1.1
4 km East of Brentonico
22 km West · 16 km
8 years ago
14 Sept 2018, 08:04
1.5
4 km South-East of Rovereto
15 km West · 10 km
8 years ago
17 Sept 2018, 23:38
1.1
3 km East of Besenello
15 km North-West · 15 km
8 years ago
20 Sept 2018, 00:29
1.0
8 years ago
23 Aug 2018, 04:22
1.3
8 years ago
19 Aug 2018, 11:40
2.3
4 km West of Torrebelvicino
13 km South · 13 km
8 years ago
15 Aug 2018, 11:27

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).