Swiss Seismological Service

On Sunday, May 4 at 13:30, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 occurred near Mürren, close to Lauterbrunnen (BE). It was registered at a depth of 7.6 km. The earthquake was felt in the immediate vicinity. Felt reports were received from surrounding regions such as the in Valais, and parts of the Bernese Oberland. Until one hour after the event, the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) had received 20 felt reports.Earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.2 are generally not expected to cause damage. The region occasionally experiences smaller earthquakes, which are usually not felt. On September 26, 2024, a stronger earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 was recorded in the same area.

Understanding and managing induced seismicity remains a key challenge for geothermal and other deep underground projects. In March, over 160 international experts from research and industry met to discuss current and future challenges in areas ranging from modelling, risk assessment, response strategies and social acceptance to reservoir and stimulation monitoring technologies. New modelling techniques and machine learning methods are generating fresh insights. Among other things, machine learning is assisting with the assessment of future seismic events, which can help to improve the traffic light systems used to manage underground interventions. ...