Today (25.01.2012) at 08:06 UTC (09:06 local time) an earthquake with the size of Mw4.9 did happen in north Italy according to EMSC. This earthquake was not far from the ML4.3 earthquake that did happen in nearby area yesterday (24.01.2012). According to reports this earthquake was clearly felt and some light damage has happened following this earthquake. I am not sure on aftershock activity in this area. But so far the largest aftershock has been with the size ML3.5, it was also felt in nearby towns.
The regional location of the Mw4.9 earthquake according to EMSC. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.
Local view of the area where the Mw4.9 earthquake took place. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.
More aftershocks are possible in this area. The trigger for this earthquake is most likely the earthquake that did happen yesterday and had the size of ML4.3. How that works is unclear. But the area in question was already at breaking point, so it needed little to break and make the earthquake happen. EMSC has put up an special web site with more information about this earthquake. That web site can be viewed here.
If any more large earthquakes happen. I am going to write about it soon as I can.
A note – the earthquake of Verona (24.01.2012) and Parma (25.01.2012) are almost surely not connected in a direct way, as the events belong to two different tectonic settings and structures, the Verona quake is strike slip fault system of the Adriatic microplate, the Parma event a overthrust fault system of the Alpidic-forebasin/ Apenninic system.
I made a fast & simple map:
http://storiadellageologia.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-terremoti-di-verona-e-parma.html
Thanks for this information. I am not all that good in exact geology of Italy.
New blog post is up about El Hierro volcano. 🙂