Minor Earthquake Hits Austria, Tremors Felt in Western Slovakia

Vienna/Bratislava, 24 July (TASR) - A 4.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Semmering, Austria on the border between the federal states of Lower Austria and Styria at 1:59 a.m. on Friday morning was also felt by residents in parts of western Slovakia. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), mild tremors were reported by residents of Bratislava, Samorin and Modra. The earthquake occurred at a depth of just five kilometres. Shocks were reported mainly by residents of the eastern part of Lower Austria and Styria, while isolated weak tremors were also felt in Vienna. According to seismologist Anton Vogelmann, further aftershocks can be expected over the next two weeks, with experts anticipating 10 to 20 measurable tremors, one or two of which may be felt. The first significant aftershock with a magnitude of 2.1 was already recorded on Friday morning. The southern part of Lower Austria is one of the country's more seismically active regions. On 1 February 2024, it was struck by a 4.6-magnitude earthquake near Semmering, causing minor damage to several buildings. jrg