Earthquakes are also possible in Hesse, especially along the Upper Rhine Graben - but with much less intensity than the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) - According to experts in Hesse, an earthquake with the magnitude and magnitude of the catastrophe like that in Turkey and Syria is unimaginable. The latest hazard calculations assume maximum magnitudes in the range of 6 to 7, but with a very low probability, explained Benjamin Homuth from the earthquake service at the Hessian State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (HLNUG) in Wiesbaden.
The geoscientist explained that the assessments were based on known historical events and statistical calculations. On February 6, a 7.7-magnitude tremor shook southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, followed hours later by a second severe 7.6-magnitude tremor.
"There is a significant difference between magnitude 6 or 7 and 7.7," Homuth explained. This is because the scale is logarithmic. "For example, a magnitude 7 earthquake is 32 times more energetic than a magnitude 6 earthquake." Hence the huge difference in destructive potential. The difference between the values 7 and 7.7 is immense, emphasized the expert.
The highest risk of earthquakes in Hesse is in southern Hesse, especially along the northern Upper Rhine Graben, as well as in the western Odenwald and in the Taunus to Limburg. The strongest earthquake ever recorded in the Upper Rhine Graben occurred in 1356 near Basel (Switzerland) with an estimated magnitude of 6.3 to 6.6, as Homuth said. "The occurrence of such an event is conceivable in Hesse - especially in southern Hesse - but only with a very low probability."
The strongest tectonic earthquake ever measured in Hesse occurred on February 24, 1952 near the border of the federal state in the Rhineland-Palatinate town of Worms. Depending on the source, the strength was given as between 4.6 and 5.1. "The last stronger earthquake with damage to buildings took place on May 17, 2014 with a magnitude of 4.2 near Ober-Ramstadt," explained Homuth.
Derived from observations and historical records, the earth trembled near Lorsch in southern Hesse in 1871 - with an estimated magnitude of around 5.2, which, however, is not backed up by measurement data.
