What the record shows for Austria
The strongest earthquake on record near Austria is a magnitude 6.5 in 1976, centred 3 km SW of Prato, Italy - 50 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 52 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Austria - roughly 3 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 8 tsunamis within 300 km of Austria between 1106 and 1963. The most significant was in 1963 near Vajont Dam, Vajont River, which killed around 2,000 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Austria experiences regular moderate earthquakes along Alpine fault systems.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Austria.
Earthquake risk in Austria - FAQ
Is Austria at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 3 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.5 in 1976.
What was the biggest earthquake in Austria?
The strongest earthquake on record near Austria is M6.5, in 1976 (3 km SW of Prato, Italy), from USGS.
Does Austria get tsunamis?
Yes - 8 tsunamis since 1106 (most recently 1963) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 2,000 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Austria?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.