An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 was felt in Valais on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., indicates the Swiss seismological service. No damage is expected. The earthquake, which occurred 10 km south-east of Mürren (BE), was felt in the region straddling the cantons of Valais and Bern. This is particularly the case in Lauterbrunnen (BE), Lax (VS) or Grindelwald (BE).
The Swiss seismological service records between 1000 and 1,500 earthquakes per year in Switzerland and in neighboring countries. The population generally feels 10 to 20 shades of a magnitude of approximately 2.5 per year.
Valais is the most prone to earthquakes in Switzerland. Since 1975, a national seismic observation network has been in place, recording around 270 earthquakes per year in this region. In 40 years, 62 earthquakes of a magnitude of 3 or more have been felt, including six exceeding magnitude 4. The most powerful earthquake recorded in Switzerland, in Sierre on January 25, 1946, had a magnitude of 6.1 and was followed by 520 replicas, three of which exceeding 5.5.
