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It was already dark on Friday evening January 25, 1946 when disaster struck the city of Siders USA. At 6:32 p.m., the ground shook, causing the region to shake for a few seconds. About an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale, the epicenter of which was several thousand meters below the Wildhorn-Rawilpass region, on the border between the cantons of Valais and Bern.
Stones were thrown from the roofs, houses collapsed, the electricity went out. After that, the city was completely in darkness for ten minutes. People ran out trying to save their lives. Chaos reigned most of the night. It was only later that the true scale of the catastrophe became clear: four people lost their lives, 3,500 buildings were damaged and the total damage amounted – in today’s terms – to more than 26 million Swiss francs.
10,000 people would be homeless
The Sierre earthquake was the last damaging earthquake with fatalities in Switzerland. If it happened again today, the expected impact would be much greater. Because: many more people and buildings would be affected than just 80 years ago.
The expected number of deaths would be around 50, more than 10,000 people would become homeless in the short or long term. The damage to buildings amounted to about five billion Swiss francs – also because many new buildings would not withstand such a strong earthquake.
This is according to the first publicly available earthquake risk model for Switzerland, which was published on Tuesday. It was developed by the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) at ETH Zurich on behalf of the Federal Council and in collaboration with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BABS).
Up to CHF 44 billion in damage and 1,600 deaths
The model should create a new basis for the population, government and industry to prepare for earthquakes and to better cope with the next damaging earthquake. Until now, it was largely unclear what effects we can expect in the event of major earthquakes in Switzerland.
The model calculations now show that earthquakes in Switzerland over a 100-year period alone could damage buildings worth 44 billion francs and kill up to 1,600 people.
Correct behavior before, during and after a major earthquake is important. Because it can save lives.
In case of strong vibrations, seek shelter from falling objects and be prepared for aftershocks. You can deal more damage.
- If you are in a building, take cover (for example, under a sturdy table).
- Do not flee into a building if you are already outside.
- Stay away from buildings, bridges, power poles, large trees, and other things that could collapse or fall.
- If you are near water, leave the coastal area.
- If you are in a vehicle, do not leave it during the quake. Do not stop on bridges, in tunnels or underpasses. Do not stay near buildings on the side of the road as they may collapse.
These and other recommendations for what to do in the event of a major earthquake can be found on the website of the Swiss Seismological Service.
Correct behavior before, during and after a major earthquake is important. Because it can save lives.
In case of strong vibrations, seek shelter from falling objects and be prepared for aftershocks. You can deal more damage.
- If you are in a building, take cover (for example, under a sturdy table).
- Do not flee into a building if you are already outside.
- Stay away from buildings, bridges, power poles, large trees, and other things that could collapse or fall.
- If you are near water, leave the coastal area.
- If you are in a vehicle, do not leave it during the quake. Do not stop on bridges, in tunnels or underpasses. Do not stay near buildings on the side of the road as they may collapse.
These and other recommendations for what to do in the event of a major earthquake can be found on the website of the Swiss Seismological Service.
The well-founded quantification with the new risk model – as with the earthquake in Sierre – is important. Because: “On the one hand, this is the only way in which we can prepare properly and, on the other hand, take out adequate insurance,” says Bozidar Stojadinovic (60), earthquake engineer at ETH Zurich.
Next to pandemics and power shortages, earthquakes are among the biggest risks in Switzerland. Although they are less common than other natural hazards, they can cause enormous damage. The earth in Switzerland shakes up to 1,500 times a year, but the population only feels it about 20 times. An earthquake that can cause damage can be expected every eight to fifteen years. On the other hand, catastrophic earthquakes like the one in Valais are rarer: they occur on average every 50 to 150 years.
The earthquake risk model is based on this
The earthquake risk of a region consists of four factors. First, it calculates the probability of an earthquake. In Switzerland, Valais is at greatest risk. Closely followed by the city of Basel and Eastern Switzerland. The reason is the tectonic plates and their shifts.
The second important factor is the nature of the substrate. The softer the ground, the easier it is for vibration waves to propagate and the greater the potential damage. In Switzerland, soft soils are mainly found in valleys, on the banks of lakes and on the Swiss plateau. In such regions, the effects of an earthquake can be up to ten times stronger than in regions with solid ground.
The third factor is the so-called fragility of the building. Depending on the age of the building, the number of floors and the type of construction, the buildings are divided into classes. It should be noted that in Switzerland most older buildings do not meet current building standards for earthquake protection.
Finally, there is the question of how many people or buildings in a certain region would be affected by an earthquake. Accordingly, the effects would be most devastating in densely populated places. Not because the earthquakes would be stronger or more likely there, but simply because they would affect most of the people and buildings there.
“Epicenter” Basel
If you now combine all these factors, you get the “earthquake risk map” for Switzerland. It shows at a glance where the consequences of an earthquake are greatest.
It is not surprising that the danger is greatest in and around Basel. The reason for this is an overlap of the factors mentioned above in the border triangle. The dense population and soft subsoil in combination with a relatively high probability of an earthquake make Basel the most threatened region of Switzerland. At least as far as the expected damage is concerned.
“In short, the risk of a major earthquake in Switzerland is very low – nature was good to us,” says Stojadinovic. Thanks to our investigation, we are well prepared and our military and civil defense can respond quickly.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
