Advertisement

'Very unusual' seismic activity as three minor earthquakes shake Sweden in ten days

TT/The Local
TT/The Local - [email protected]
'Very unusual' seismic activity as three minor earthquakes shake Sweden in ten days
A view over Skara, where the first of the three quakes hit on Midsummer. Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall / SCANPIX/TT

Götene in western Sweden was hit by a minor earthquake on Monday evening, with experts describing the seismic activity as unusual for Sweden.

Advertisement

The tremor hit at around 8.27 pm, with its epicentre seven kilometres east of Hällekis and 13 kilometres north of Götene.

This was the third quake in a short period of time in Sweden, following a magnitude 3.3 earthquake in Kalix, Norrbotten on June 27th and another of magnitude 3.2 in Skara, not far from Götene, four days before that.

Monday's quake was smaller than the other two, measuring around 1.9 on the Richter scale, which is around the point when tremors can be felt by those in the area. 

But although the quake was too minor to cause any damage, seismologist Björn Lund said the seismic activity was "very unusual" by Swedish standards. Sweden can usually expect just one earthquake significant enough to be felt by residents each year.

"The quake we had on Midsummer was big for Sweden, and then came the one in Kalix which was also big. And now this: it's very unusual," Lund told Aftonbladet.

READ ALSO: Minor earthquake shakes town in central Sweden

 

 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

[email protected] 2018/07/04 21:04
Are they by any chance doing some fracking in these areas?
[email protected] 2018/07/04 21:03
Are they by any chance doing some fracking in these areas?

See Also