France is not known for its earthquakes, unlike Italy and Japan. And yet, in the late afternoon of Friday June 16, 2023, a major tremor was felt near La Rochelle, sending residents into a panic. An aftershock of magnitude 5 even occurred during the night, disturbing the rest of the French population living in the west. Although the epicenter was located between Charente-Maritime and Deux-Sèvres, the tremors also affected other departments, including Essonne!
The magnitude of the quake was estimated at between 5.3 and 5.8, highly unusual in France, and caused some damage in Charente. Fortunately, only one minor injury was treated, and minor material damage is being recorded, including cracks and falling rocks. More surprisingly, according to the French National Seismic Monitoring Network, the earthquake had an impact almost 400 kilometers from its epicenter, in northern Essonne. Although emergency services received a few calls from worried residents, there were no injuries or damage.
More fear than harm for this surprising seismic event in a geologically stable region. In mainland France, the last earthquake of this magnitude was in 2019, although some departments in western France are classified as "moderate seismicity zones".
