Earthquakes in August 2026

In August, six earthquakes were felt in Austria, with epicenters in Tyrol, Lower Austria, and Vorarlberg.

The strongest earthquake of the month occurred on August 8 at 6:42 a.m. CEST in Hall in Tirol (47.28°N, 11.52°E). The magnitude was 3.5, and the tremors were felt by numerous people. Many woke up and noticed the building shaking distinctly. Objects moved and glasses clinked. Some small items fell over, and a few people left their homes. In isolated cases, very minor damage, such as hairline cracks in the plaster, was reported. More than 1,600 reports of the earthquake were sent to the Seismological Service via the online form or the QuakeWatch Austria app. At the epicenter, the intensity reached a maximum of 5 on the 12-level European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98).

A mild earthquake with a magnitude of 1.7 was located on August 12 at 3:36 p.m. near Wenns, Tyrol (47.18°N, 10.73°E). A slight tremor and a rumbling sound were felt. The intensity was 3 on the EMS-98 scale.

On August 18 at 12:52 p.m., an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.9 occurred in Innsbruck (47.28°N, 11.40°E). Due to a relatively great focal depth of about 10 km, it was felt only very faintly in isolated cases. The intensity was 2 to 3 on the EMS-98 scale.

In the Neunkirchen area, Lower Austria (47.70°N, 16.04°E), a mild earthquake with a magnitude of 2.2 was faintly felt on August 26 at 2:46 a.m. The epicenter was near Wimpassing im Schwarzatal, and the tremors were felt as far as Würflach and Seebenstein. The macroseismic intensity reached 3 on the EMS-98 scale.

On August 27 at 11:15 p.m., a mild earthquake with a magnitude of 1.9 occurred about 5 km west of Lech am Arlberg, Vorarlberg (47.20°N, 10.08°E); it was felt as a jolt by some people and was accompanied by a rumbling of the ground. The intensity was assigned to 3 on the EMS-98 scale.

On August 28 at 7:51 p.m., an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.9 occurred about 6 km southwest of Imst, Tyrol (47.20°N, 10.69°E). A slight tremor and rumbling were noticed by some people and reported to the Seismological Service. The intensity reached 2 to 3 on the EMS-98 scale.

Excerpt from the short form of the 12-level European Macroseismic Scale 1998, based on Mercalli-Sieberg.

• Degree 2 – Scarcely: The tremor is felt only by a very few individuals at rest and in an especially receptive position indoors.
• Degree 3 – Weak: The earthquake is felt indoors by a few. People at rest feel a swaying or light trembling. Hanging objects swing slightly.
• Degree 4 – Largely observed: The earthquake is felt indoors by many and felt outdoors only by very few. A few people are awakened, the vibration is moderate, slight trembling of the building or room. Glasses, windows and doors rattle, light furniture shakes visibly.
• Degree 5 – Strongly felt: The earthquake is felt indoors by most, outdoors by few. A few people are frightened and run outdoors. Many sleeping people awake. Observers feel a strong shaking or rocking of the whole building, room or furniture. Small objects may be shifted or fall down. Doors and windows swing open or shut. Hairline cracks appear in a few buildings, particularly those prone to damage.
• Degree 6 – Slightly damaging: A few persons lose their balance. Many people are frightened and run outdoors. Small objects of ordinary stability may fall and furniture may be shifted. In few instances dishes and glassware may break. Many buildings suffer minor damage, such as cracks in the plaster, and in some cases, deep cracks in the walls also occur.

UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) = GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Data for worldwide earthquakes according to U.S. Geological Survey M: Magnitude (logarithmic energy scale) Information provided without guarantee

Seismological Service of Austria - GeoSphere Austria Hohe Warte 38, A-1190 Vienna Tel. +43 1 36026 2508 E-Mail: seismo@geosphere.at