The German Center for Geometric Research (GFZ) in Potsdam measured 19 earthquakes with a magnitude of seven or more this year until just before the turn of the year. The previous year, scientists counted seven such earthquakes. The two most serious earthquakes occurred in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, as announced by the GFZ. More than 50,000 people died as a result of this and the natural disaster.
According to scientists, a violent earthquake in Indonesia on January 9 had a magnitude of 7.6. According to the island state's civil protection agency, there were no fatalities. On May 10, land struck Tonga in the South Pacific with a magnitude of 7.5. In addition to what occurred in Turkey and Syria, the most destructive earthquakes also included the tremors in Morocco on September 9 (magnitude 6.9), which killed several thousand people.
Earthquakes are unpredictable. Earthquakes occur every day in many places around the world – especially where continental plates collide, as GFZ announced. “However, it is not yet possible to predict when such or particularly devastating events will occur.”
The intensity of earthquakes is measured using seismographs. The devices record the force of ground movements, the so-called magnitude. Earthquakes can have different effects depending on the duration, soil conditions, and construction methods in the region. It is common that, with a magnitude of 7, serious damage occurs in large areas, houses collapse and many deaths are feared.
In Austria, the strongest earthquake measured had a magnitude of 4.2 and was recorded on March 30, about two kilometers east-northeast of Gloggnitz in southern Lower Austria. The second strongest earthquake was measured on April 2 in St. Veit an der Glan in Carinthia with a magnitude of 3.8.
According to Friday's preliminary Geosphere assessment, a total of 1,300 earthquakes were located in Austria in 2023, of which 77 were felt by the population. Furthermore, four earthquakes from neighboring countries were felt in Austria in 2023, meaning that there were a total of 81 earthquakes felt in this country, the strongest causing minor damage, such as cracks in plaster.