Picture of the damage caused by the earthquake that struck Indonesia in 2022. / © AFP
Severe earthquakes regularly cause devastation and claim lives. Our colleagues from RTL.lu asked an expert if an event like this could also occur in Luxembourg.
In the early hours of Monday morning, a powerful earthquake struck Turkey and parts of Syria, causing significant damage and suffering. Over 5,000 people have already died as a result of the natural disaster.
The earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, was powerful enough to be detected by measuring instruments in Luxembourg. However, according to Adrien Oth, geophysicist at the European Centre for Geodynamics and Seismology (ECGS), this is nothing unusual. "The measuring instruments are so sensitive that they can even pick up vibrations from New Zealand right here in Walferdange," Oth explains.
The earthquake that originated in Turkey has therefore also caused the earth in Luxembourg to shake – but to such a small degree that it went unnoticed. In fact, humans and nature cause the earth to vibrate almost every day. Exceptionally intense vibrations, such as those caused by Monday's earthquake, naturally stand out from this usual "background noise," Oth says.
No real danger for Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, scientists occasionally measure minor earth movements. But these are extremely rare and not powerful enough to be felt by humans. The last noticeable earthquake in Luxembourg occurred in 1992, when an earthquake struck the Dutch city of Roermond. Because of the short distance and a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter Scale, the quake was felt in the Grand Duchy as well.
"In Luxembourg, earthquakes are statistically unlikely to occur," according to Oth. This is because Luxembourg is not located on the edges of any tectonic plates. When plates grind against each other, pressure builds up, resulting in tectonic earthquakes. When the pressure becomes too great, the tension is released, causing the earth to shake.
However, just because seismic activity is rarely detected in Luxembourg does not rule out the possibility of earthquakes. The Grand Duchy is surrounded by seismically active areas, such as the Ardennes and the Eifel region. According to the ECGS, there is, however, no serious risk of the magnitude seen in Turkey and Syria.
