Europe Earthquakes

No M1.5+ Europe earthquakes have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

Europe Earthquakes – Current Map & Latest Seismic Activity

This page shows European earthquake activity using USGS data. The interactive map displays available earthquakes of magnitude 1.5+ that meet the regional coverage settings. Click a coloured marker for magnitude, location, time and depth. Use the filters to view the last hour, 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. Times are in UTC, and counts and lists update when the page loads or refreshes.

Europe Earthquake Monitoring Map

europe earthquakes (map loads with JavaScript)

About Europe Earthquakes

Europe’s earthquakes occur across a patchwork of colliding plates, stretching crust and volcanic rifts. The Mediterranean and Balkans contain many of its most active earthquake zones, while Iceland sits on a plate boundary where the Atlantic Ocean is widening. Quieter parts of the continent can also experience damaging shaking, even when earthquakes there are separated by long intervals.

There is no single fault running beneath Europe that explains all its earthquakes. Around the Mediterranean, the northward movement of Africa interacts with Eurasia and smaller blocks of crust.

Some areas are being compressed, others are stretching, and elsewhere blocks slide sideways past one another. These movements can happen within the same broad region, which is why neighbouring earthquake sequences may have quite different causes.

The European earthquake hazard map maintained by EFEHR identifies particularly high hazard in Turkey, Greece, Albania, Italy and Romania.

That does not mean earthquakes only happen in these countries, or that every location within them faces the same shaking. Local faults, ground conditions and distance from an earthquake source all matter.

Europe’s Main Earthquake Zones

Greece, the Aegean and Turkey

South of Greece, the Hellenic subduction zone marks an area where the African lithosphere descends beneath the Aegean region. Earthquakes occur both near the surface and within the descending plate.

Crete, the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and mainland Greece consequently experience different combinations of fault movement and earthquake depth. The Aegean itself is also stretching, producing normal faults that can generate shallow, damaging earthquakes.

Turkey connects this Mediterranean setting with the wider tectonics of western Asia. The Anatolian block moves westward relative to Eurasia, with major sideways movement accommodated by the North Anatolian and East Anatolian fault systems. Western Turkey also contains active extensional basins. The USGS account of the 2023 Turkey earthquake sequence explains how large ruptures can involve connected fault systems rather than one isolated point.

Turkey spans Europe and Asia, while the Aegean connects the earthquake settings of Greece and western Turkey. See the Greece earthquake page and Turkey earthquake page for closer regional views.

Italy and the Adriatic margins

Italy’s earthquakes reflect the interaction of the Apennines, the Alps, the Adriatic region and the subduction system beneath southern Italy. Along much of the central Apennines, stretching of the crust produces shallow earthquakes on normal faults. In the south, earthquakes also occur at considerable depth within the descending slab beneath Calabria and the southern Tyrrhenian Sea.

A deep offshore earthquake there has a different setting from a shallow rupture beneath an Apennine town.

Across the Adriatic, the Dinaric mountain belt and neighbouring Balkan faults accommodate continuing deformation. Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, North Macedonia and surrounding areas have experienced destructive earthquakes.

Political borders do not divide these fault systems, so the Balkans earthquake page is useful for following regional activity alongside the Italy earthquake page.

Romania’s earthquakes reach deeper

The Vrancea zone near the bend of the Carpathian Mountains is unusual because important earthquakes originate in a compact volume well below the shallow crust. Such intermediate-depth earthquakes can be felt across a wide area, including neighbouring countries. Depth therefore changes the pattern of shaking, but does not make a large event harmless.

A published macroseismic dataset for the 4 March 1977 Vrancea earthquake lists Mw7.4 and a depth of 98 km. The disaster is a reminder that damage can be severe far from the epicentre, particularly where vulnerable buildings and local ground conditions amplify the consequences. Romania’s National Institute for Earth Physics monitors both these deeper earthquakes and shallower activity elsewhere in the country.

Iceland and the Atlantic islands

Iceland has a different tectonic engine from the Mediterranean. The North American and Eurasian plates pull apart along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which crosses the island. Rifting, sideways fault movement and magma intrusion all contribute to seismic activity. Þingvellir National Park’s explanation of tectonic movements describes how this plate boundary shapes the landscape.

Earthquake swarms can accompany magma moving underground, but a swarm alone does not establish that an eruption will occur. Scientists assess earthquakes together with ground deformation, gas measurements and other observations.

The Icelandic Met Office publishes earthquake information and specialist assessments, while our Iceland page shows events available through this site’s data source.

Farther south, the Azores lie near the meeting of the North American, Eurasian and African plates. Their volcanic islands and surrounding faults deserve separate treatment from mainland Portugal. The Azores page offers that regional focus. Use that regional view for a closer look at the islands and their surrounding Atlantic waters.

Earthquakes beyond the busiest belts

The Alps, Pyrenees and parts of western and central Europe also contain active faults. Earthquakes can reactivate older weaknesses within the crust, including far from an obvious plate boundary. Britain and Ireland are much quieter than Greece or Turkey, but lower earthquake frequency does not mean that shaking is impossible.

The British Geological Survey’s account of UK earthquakes includes damaging historical events such as the 1884 Colchester earthquake.

Mainland Portugal and southern Spain are influenced by deformation near the broad Africa–Eurasia boundary. The offshore region southwest of Iberia is particularly important for understanding large historical earthquakes and Atlantic tsunami hazard. These settings are not interchangeable with the volcanic and rifting environment of the Azores, even though both are relevant to Portugal.

Earthquake Risk in Europe

A map full of small earthquakes tells you about recorded activity during a particular period. It does not directly measure the likelihood of building collapse or the losses a future earthquake could cause. Hazard concerns potential shaking. Risk also accounts for the people and buildings exposed to that shaking and how vulnerable they are.

The European earthquake risk map brings these factors together. Older unreinforced masonry, poorly detailed concrete buildings and unsuitable alterations can increase vulnerability. Soft sediments can amplify shaking, while landslides and damage to roads, utilities and hospitals can complicate recovery.

A relatively quiet fault near vulnerable communities can therefore matter greatly even when it attracts little attention on a daily earthquake map.

Magnitude, Depth and Local Shaking

Magnitude describes the size of an earthquake at its source. Intensity describes the shaking and effects at a particular location. One earthquake has a measured magnitude that may be revised as analysis improves, while its intensity varies from place to place.

A modest shallow event beneath a town can cause more local disruption than a larger earthquake far offshore or deep underground.

Depth on the map refers to the earthquake’s origin below the surface, not the distance from a nearby city. Shallow earthquakes often produce concentrated shaking near the fault.

Intermediate-depth events, such as those in Vrancea, may be felt over much larger areas. The Geological Survey of Canada’s earthquake explanations describe how source size, depth, distance, faulting and ground materials influence shaking.

Treat preliminary locations and depths as estimates. Early solutions may change as more stations contribute data, and different agencies can report somewhat different magnitudes because they use different observations or magnitude scales. Those differences do not automatically mean either catalogue is wrong.

What the numbers mean

• Below M3 Usually recorded by instruments and often not felt, although very shallow nearby events can be noticeable.
• M3–4.9 May be felt locally. Damage depends on depth, distance, ground conditions and the vulnerability of buildings.
• M5–5.9 Can cause damaging shaking near the source, especially in vulnerable buildings.
• M6–6.9 Can cause serious damage and disruption when shallow and close to populated areas.
• M7 and above Can affect a broad region. A tsunami is possible only when the source and resulting water displacement are suitable.

These are broad guides rather than damage thresholds. Magnitude alone cannot tell you whether a particular building or coastline is safe.

Tsunami Hazards

Europe has a real tsunami history, especially around the Mediterranean and the Atlantic margin of Iberia. However, an offshore epicentre alone does not establish a tsunami threat. The earthquake’s magnitude, depth and rupture mechanism matter, particularly whether it produces substantial vertical movement of the seabed. Underwater landslides and volcanic processes can also generate waves.

The UNESCO-IOC warning and mitigation system for the North-Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and connected seas coordinates regional cooperation. Official tsunami assessments combine earthquake analysis with sea-level observations and other information. This page is an earthquake information resource and should not be used as a tsunami warning service.

The 1755 Lisbon disaster demonstrates that Atlantic coasts are not exempt, while the 2020 Samos earthquake generated a tsunami affecting both Greek and Turkish shores.

Local waves can arrive quickly. Follow official coastal evacuation instructions and local guidance on natural warning signs, including strong or prolonged shaking and unusual sea behaviour.

Earthquakes That Changed Communities Across Europe

The events below illustrate different sources of danger, from deep earthquakes to shallow urban ruptures and earthquake-generated tsunamis. They are a selection of lasting examples rather than a list of every large European earthquake. Magnitudes for older events are reconstructed, and historical casualty estimates should not be treated as exact counts.

• Lisbon and the Atlantic tsunami of 1755
  On 1 November 1755, a major offshore earthquake brought destructive shaking, tsunami waves and fires to Lisbon and affected coasts beyond Portugal. Its precise magnitude and source remain subjects of research. The UNESCO-IOC NEAMWave26 exercise included a simulation of the tsunami generated by the Lisbon earthquake, demonstrating its continuing importance to coastal preparedness. The disaster’s significance extends well beyond the city that gives it its name.
  
• Messina and Reggio Calabria in 1908
  The 28 December 1908 earthquake devastated communities on both sides of the Strait of Messina and was followed by a destructive tsunami. INGV gives an estimated magnitude of 7.1 in its research summary of the earthquake’s source. It remains a central example of the combined consequences of strong shaking, vulnerable buildings and coastal inundation. Estimates of the death toll vary, so a single precise figure would imply more certainty than the historical record supports.
  
• Central Italy’s destructive sequence in 2016
  The central Italy sequence began with an Mw6.0 earthquake near Accumoli and Amatrice on 24 August 2016. It was followed by major October earthquakes, including the Mw6.5 Norcia event on 30 October. INGV’s account of the sequence records 299 deaths from the August earthquake and explains the later ruptures. The sequence shows why earthquake impacts cannot always be understood as one event followed by an immediate return to normal.
  
• Samos and the Turkish Aegean coast in 2020
  On 30 October 2020, an Mw7.0 earthquake north of Samos caused destructive shaking on both sides of the Aegean and generated a tsunami. UNESCO’s account of the Samos tsunami describes its effects in Greece and Turkey. It is a useful reminder that a shared sea connects the hazards of neighbouring countries, regardless of which place name appears in an earthquake catalogue.
• The Turkey–Syria earthquake disaster of 2023
  
  On 6 February 2023, an M7.8 earthquake in southern Turkey near Syria was followed about nine hours later by an M7.5 earthquake farther north. The USGS explanation of the sequence describes the timing and tectonic setting. The widespread destruction in Turkey and Syria made it one of the defining earthquake disasters of the twenty-first century. Its inclusion here follows this site’s Turkey coverage, although the epicentral region lies in the Asian part of the country.
  
• The Sea of Marmara earthquake of 2025
  The M6.2 earthquake on 23 April 2025 occurred beneath the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul. The USGS event record places it southeast of Marmara Ereğlisi at a depth of 12.7 km. Its importance to this overview is the proximity of an active fault system to a large urban population. It should not be interpreted as proof that the region’s longer-term earthquake hazard has disappeared, or as a reliable countdown to another earthquake.

Earthquake Preparedness

Preparation is useful whether you live in an active earthquake region or are visiting one. Learn what to do during shaking, identify safe places in your accommodation and keep essential supplies accessible. Greece’s Civil Protection earthquake guidance and Italy’s Io non rischio campaign explain practical steps before, during and after an earthquake.

During the Shaking

Drop, Cover and Hold On. If you are indoors, get low, shelter beneath a sturdy table if one is nearby, and protect your head and neck. Hold on to your shelter until shaking stops. Stay away from windows and objects that could fall. Do not rush downstairs or outside while the building is shaking.

If you are already outdoors, move away from building façades, walls, trees and power lines when it is safe to do so. After the shaking, expect aftershocks and follow local instructions about damaged buildings and evacuation areas.

Tsunami Awareness

Near the coast, strong or prolonged shaking can be a natural tsunami warning. Once shaking stops, move inland or to higher ground along local evacuation routes. Do not go to the waterfront to watch, and do not assume the first wave will be the largest. Follow official instructions before returning.

Household and Travel Checklist

• Secure heavy furniture and keep objects that could fall away from beds and seating areas.
• Keep drinking water, food, medication, a torch, a power bank and a first aid kit accessible.
• Agree on a meeting place and an out-of-area contact.
• Check local evacuation routes and the emergency arrangements at your hotel or holiday accommodation.
• Know which national or local authority issues emergency instructions where you are staying.
• Keep away from damaged buildings, unstable slopes and coastal evacuation zones until authorities say it is safe.

Our Earthquake Safety guide explains protective actions, and our Earthquake Preparedness guide covers emergency supplies and planning.

Did you know?
Earthquake early warning detects an earthquake that has already begun. Where a system is available, any warning time depends on distance and how quickly detection and delivery occur. It does not predict the next earthquake, and people close to the source may receive little or no warning.

Europe’s Earthquake Monitoring Networks

Europe’s earthquake information comes from national monitoring services and international cooperation. These organisations have different roles, from locating events to sharing seismic recordings and assessing long-term hazard.

• European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre Collects and publishes earthquake information from contributing institutes, alongside eyewitness reports.
• ORFEUS Supports access to seismic waveform data and station information through European research infrastructure.
• INGV in Italy Publishes earthquake locations and reviewed event information from Italy’s seismic monitoring network.
• Icelandic Met Office Monitors Iceland’s earthquakes and volcanic unrest and publishes specialist assessments.
• Romania’s National Institute for Earth Physics Monitors Vrancea and other Romanian earthquake zones.
• British Geological Survey Provides earthquake information and research for the United Kingdom.
• IPMA in Portugal Publishes seismic information for mainland Portugal, the Azores, Madeira and surrounding regions.
• EFEHR Provides European earthquake hazard and risk models. Its role differs from that of an emergency alert service.

The live earthquake information on this page comes from USGS. Links to European agencies provide additional local context and do not mean that their catalogues are combined into this map.

🗺️ Related Maps

View European regions
Greece Earthquakes | Turkey Earthquakes | Italy Earthquakes | Balkans Earthquakes

View Atlantic regions
Iceland Earthquakes | Azores Earthquakes

List of Earthquakes Today Worldwide