All earthquakes
2.2
light
EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

2 km North-West of Solesino

7 months ago · 2 Feb, 08:21

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

Stronger than 92% of Italian events in the past yearNo. 5 of the year in Veneto

Where

2 km North-West of SolesinoEarthquakes in the province of PadovaEarthquakes 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

1 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

The energy released

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

30kgof TNT equivalent
Less than the energy of a lightning bolt
M3
A magnitude 3 earthquake releases ×16 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 ≈ 12 s

Animation sped up ~2× compared to reality.

  • Rovigo
    13 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~2 s
    main shaking in ~4 s
  • Padova
    27 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~5 s
    main shaking in ~8 s
  • Ferrara
    42 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~7 s
    main shaking in ~12 s
  • Vicenza
    43 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~7 s
    main shaking in ~12 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

5 km
shallow

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

shallower than the area average (~11 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?

Isolated quake

In the 30 days around this event no other quakes were recorded within 30 km: a one-off episode, very common in Italy.

Activity in the area right now (30 km radius)
1
last 24 hours
1
last 7 days
1
last 30 days

No other quakes within 30 km in the 30 days around the event.

How often does it happen here?

about every ~31 days

Within 50 km of this epicentre, a magnitude ≥ 2 earthquake has occurred on average this often: 136 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.

20126.1
Pianura emiliana earthquake
20 May 2012 · 49 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
15705.4
Ferrarese earthquake
17 November 1570 · 41 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
20125.2
Pianura emiliana earthquake
20 May 2012 · 48 km from here
14115.1
Ferrara earthquake
9 January 1411 · 40 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

Schio-Vicenza

The epicentre lies about 15 km from Schio-Vicenza, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.

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).

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).

We use cookies to analyse site traffic and improve your experience.

Privacy PolicyCookie Policy