All earthquakes
1.7
very light
EARTHQUAKE DETAILS

3 km South-West of Tione di Trento

82 months ago · 14 Dec, 00:00

A very light earthquake, probably not felt by people. At only a few km deep the shaking is felt more sharply at the surface.

Stronger than 78% of Italian events in the past year

Where

3 km South-West of Tione di TrentoEarthquakes in the province of TrentoEarthquakes in Trentino-Alto Adige

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.

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 ≈ 22 s

Animation sped up ~4× compared to reality.

  • Trento
    32 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~6 s
    main shaking in ~10 s
  • Brescia
    64 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~11 s
    main shaking in ~19 s
  • Verona
    67 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~11 s
    main shaking in ~19 s
  • Bolzano
    75 km from the epicentre
    first tremor in ~13 s
    main shaking in ~22 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

9 km
shallow
1 times the height of Mount Everest

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

in line with the area average (~7 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 2 aftershocks 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
3
last 7 days
7
last 30 days
3 before2 after
this quake
Strongest of the sequence1.7

How often does it happen here?

about every ~35 days

Within 50 km of this epicentre, a magnitude ≥ 2 earthquake has occurred on average this often: 122 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.

19015.4
Garda occidentale earthquake
30 October 1901 · 49 km from here
VII-VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
19325.2
Garda orientale earthquake
19 February 1932 · 41 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
18825.1
Monte Baldo earthquake
18 September 1882 · 33 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
18765.1
Monte Baldo earthquake
29 April 1876 · 29 km from here
VII-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

Giudicarie

The epicentre lies about 8 km from Giudicarie, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.

estimated maximum magnitude 6.8between 5 and 12 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

1.6
4 km South-West of Malcesine
29 km South-East · 9 km
82 months ago
14 Dec, 21:13
0.9
5 km West of Tenno
8 km South-East · 8 km
82 months ago
10 Dec, 13:22
1.4
2 km South of Massimeno
14 km North · 11 km
82 months ago
7 Dec, 21:33
1.7
3 km South-West of Tione di Trento
0 km North-East · 9 km
82 months ago
1 Dec, 09:07
1.1
5 km South-East of Cevo
18 km West · 9 km
81 months ago
26 Dec, 14:54

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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