From research conducted at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences

Even though most of these quakes are considerably weaker than those in the Mediterranean region or the Ring of Fire encircling the Pacific, they can still have devastating effects due to the high value of material assets in these regions. Damage to chemical and nuclear power plants is an additional risk.

Dr. Gottfried Grünthal and his colleagues at GFZ have created precise earthquake hazard maps by carefully analysing archival data on the earthquakes that have occurred in different parts of Europe in the last millennium. With the help of this data, civil engineers can construct buildings capable of withstanding the earthquakes expected in these regions, thus minimising the potential harm to people.

Roland Knauer