Understanding the earthquake risk in the canton of Basel-Stadt
The strongest known earthquake north of the Alps occurred near Basel in 1356. Even today, the Basel region is considered to be at higher seismic risk than other areas of Switzerland. But what would happen in the event of the next major earthquake? The regional earthquake risk model developed by the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich, in collaboration with EPFL, the University of Basel, and the company Résonance, provides answers to this question on behalf of the canton of Basel-Stadt.
The model combines information on the vulnerability of buildings with detailed data on the local subsoil (from microzoning), earthquake hazard and the affected assets. This makes it possible to estimate the potential impacts that earthquakes of varying magnitudes could have on the canton of Basel-Stadt. The average annual damage expected from earthquakes in the canton amounts to around 20 million Swiss francs. Years or even decades without any damage alternate with years in which only a few minor earthquakes or a single devastating one may occur.
The earthquake risk model forms an essential basis for earthquake preparedness and response. Further information and various earthquake scenarios have been published by the canton of Basel-Stadt at the following link: www.bs.ch/erdbeben
Further information
© Kontrollstelle für Chemie- und Biosicherheit