Earthquakes in Cologne
Seismic activity in the surroundings
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.
How seismic is this area?
Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
Official Civil Protection classification (upd. 2025), used for building codes.
Hazard describes the long-term expected shaking: it is not a forecast. Technical value: ag = 0.136 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Cologne plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Cologne
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Cologne over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002IV-V13 November 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Franciacorta earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 18 km away
- 1983IV9 November 1983
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Parmense earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 95 km away
Source: Italian Macroseismic Database DBMI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The great earthquakes in this area's history
Almost a thousand years of catalogues: the strongest documented events within ~50 km.
Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The closest seismic structure
The town sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.
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).
Area over time
Earthquake map
10 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Cologne is about average for its province in recorded quakes.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Brescia5 events · 30gLombardy region11 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Cologne?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Cologne area: the latest nearby dates back to 20 months ago.
Is Cologne a seismic area?
Cologne is classified in seismic zone 3 by the Civil Protection. Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
What was the strongest earthquake near Cologne?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Cologne was magnitude 3.9, in 2021.
When was the last quake near Cologne?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Cologne was 6 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)