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Hazard · Natural hazard

Earthquake

Drop to the ground, cover your head and neck and hold on to a sturdy table until the shaking stops. Stay indoors, avoid the lift and windows; outdoors keep your distance from buildings. In Switzerland, up to 20 tremors are felt per year – be prepared for aftershocks.

Earthquakes are more frequent in Switzerland than many think — the Seismological Service (SED) records around 1000 to 1500 quakes a year, of which only about 10 to 20 are felt. Strong ones are rare but not ruled out. The most exposed regions are Valais, the Basel region, Graubünden and the St Gallen Rhine Valley.

Injuries mostly result from falling objects — shelves, cupboards, sections of wall, glass — not from the quake itself. That is why securing heavy furniture and the "drop, cover, hold on" rule are the most effective protection in everyday life. In vulnerable buildings, however, there is more at stake: parts of the building or the entire building can collapse. The best preventive measure is therefore earthquake-resistant construction in accordance with the SIA structural design standards (SIA 261) — more on this in the guide "Protection in earthquakes" under "Preventive structural measures".

The strongest known earthquake in Central Europe occurred in Basel in 1356 and largely destroyed the city. A comparable event is now considered rare but possible — preparedness is aimed at reacting correctly at the decisive moment.

Risk rating

Risk · Medium (level 3 of 5)

Likelihood: Low · Impact: High → Overall risk: Medium.

Risk matrix: likelihood runs vertically (top = high), impact runs horizontally (right = high). The highlighted cell shows this hazard's rating.
Impact
Low Medium High
Likelihood High
Medium
Low This hazard's rating

Legend: Low (green) · Medium (yellow) · High (red). Overall risk is likelihood multiplied by impact.

Switzerland lies in a moderately active zone. A strong quake is rare but possible – damage arises mainly from debris.

Immediate measures

  • Drop, cover, hold on
  • Move away from windows and shelves
  • After the quake, check gas and electricity

Warning signs

  • Important: earthquakes are NOT predictable — there are no reliable precursors and no official advance warning
  • A quake is felt through sudden shaking, a rumble, rattling windows, swaying lamps
  • After a first quake, aftershocks are to be expected (often weaker, but dangerous for damaged buildings)
  • The SED publishes recorded quakes in real time (seismo.ethz.ch) — relevant mainly for orientation after an event

Before · During · After

Before

  • Secure heavy shelves and the boiler to the wall
  • No heavy objects above beds
  • Agree on a family meeting point
  • Build earthquake-resistant: verification according to SIA 261 for new builds, renovations or when buying a house

During

  • Indoors: drop, under a sturdy table, hold on
  • Do not run outside, avoid the lift
  • Outdoors: keep your distance from buildings and lines

After

  • Be prepared for aftershocks
  • Check gas, water and electricity, shut off if damaged
  • Do not enter damaged buildings
  • Keep the phone network clear for emergency calls

This really happened

  1. 2023 Turkey/Syria earthquake

    The magnitude 7.8 quake of 6 February 2023 claimed over 60,000 lives. Switzerland deployed the "Swiss Rescue Chain" with around 80 responders; the search-dog organisation REDOG, with 22 members and 14 dogs, enabled the rescue of 28 survivors.

    Source

  2. 2022 Earthquake near Mulhouse

    On 10 September 2022 a magnitude 4.7 quake struck neighbouring Alsace (France), about 15 km north of Basel. It was clearly felt across large parts of Switzerland; the Swiss Seismological Service received around 11,000 felt reports.

    Source

  3. 2017 Earthquake near Linthal (GL)

    On 6 March 2017 a magnitude 4.6 quake shook the Linthal region (GL); felt throughout German-speaking Switzerland, it was one of the strongest Swiss quakes in recent times. No damage was reported.

    Source

  4. 2013 St Gallen geothermal quake

    A deep borehole triggered a felt quake (magnitude ~3.5) on 20 July 2013; the geothermal project was subsequently abandoned.

    Source

  5. 1946 Valais earthquake

    The strongest Swiss quake of the 20th century (magnitude 5.8) near Sierre claimed four lives on 25 January 1946 and damaged around 3500 buildings.

    Source

  6. 1356 Basel earthquake

    The strongest historically documented earthquake in Central Europe (estimated magnitude around 6.6) destroyed large parts of Basel and numerous castles in the surrounding area on 18 October 1356.

    Source

Frequently asked questions

How do I prepare for an earthquake?

Secure heavy shelves, cupboards and the boiler to the wall and do not hang heavy objects above beds. Agree on a family meeting point so you can find each other after a quake. The best preparation is earthquake-resistant construction: for new builds, renovations or when buying a house, check the earthquake safety according to SIA 261.

Why do most earthquake injuries result?

Injuries almost always result from falling objects such as shelves, cupboards, wall sections or glass – not from the quake itself. That is why securing heavy furniture and the "drop, cover, hold on" rule provide the best protection.

What should I do after an earthquake?

Be prepared for aftershocks. Check gas, water and electricity and shut them off if damaged. Do not enter damaged buildings and keep the phone network clear for emergency calls.

Official sources