On Monday, April 17th, 2023, a shallow magnitude 4.1 earthquake hit near Tarbes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie, France, according to the Spain's Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN). The quake struck at 3:28 pm local time at a depth of only 5 km, which means that it was felt more strongly than deeper ones. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations.
Several agencies reported the same quake, including the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, and France's Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS). While IGN reported the magnitude as 4.1, EMSC and the other agencies listed the quake at magnitude 4.3.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was likely felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. However, it should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc. In Sarrancolin, a town of 720 residents located only 3 km from the epicenter, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Lannemezan, a town of 6,600 residents located 19 km from the epicenter, as well as in Bagneres-de-Bigorre, Saint-Gaudens, and Lourdes, located 20 km, 35 km, and 35 km away from the epicenter, respectively.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Aureilhan, located 38 km from the epicenter, Tarbes, a city of 52,100 residents located 38 km away, and Pau, a city of 82,700 residents located 69 km away.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are not uncommon in the region, as the area is located in a seismically active zone. However, it is always important to take precautions in the event of an earthquake, such as staying away from windows and heavy furniture and finding a safe place to shelter.
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