Strength 3.5 on the Richter scale
Minor earthquake in the Bremen region – no major damage or injuries reported
According to preliminary data, the earthquake near Bremen had a magnitude of 3.5 on the Richter scale (symbolic image)
© Cigdem Simsek / Picture Alliance
Suddenly there were tremors: a slight earthquake startled people in the Bremen region. The cause may be man-made.
In Bremen and Lower Saxony there is a light one on Monday afternoon Earthquake startled people. According to records from the German Georesearch Center (GFZ) in Potsdam, the epicenter was near the town of Syke (Diepholz district), about 20 kilometers south of Bremen city center. The source of the earthquake was located at a depth of around five kilometers.
Magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Bremen
The earthquake had a magnitude of 3.5 on the Richter scale and is therefore considered a very light earthquake. Such events occur several dozen times a day around the world. There is usually no major damage. A manual check of the value was initially pending.
On the “Erbebennews” portal, people from the Bremen region reported slight vibrations and cracks in the housework that could be felt for around 20 seconds. According to Radio Bremen, the police in the city of Bassum recorded many concerned callers, and the quake was also said to have been felt in Bremen itself. Several witnesses also claim to have heard a loud bang. Potentially around 1.2 million people are said to have felt the earthquake. According to initial information from Monday afternoon, there was no major property damage or even injuries.
The cause of the earthquake may have been natural gas production in the region – this had already caused tremors in the past, most recently before Christmas.
The news portal “T-Online” first reported on the event in northern Germany.
Although there are hundreds of earthquakes every year in Germany, “earthquakes that can be clearly felt by people or even cause damage are among the rare natural phenomena in Germany,” according to the GFZ.
Sources: German Georesearch Center Potsdam, “Earthquake News”, Radio Bremen, “T Online”