On Saturday, December 20, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 was recorded in the Valle de Hecho area in Navarre. The epicenter was located about 30 kilometers from the town of Uztárroz (Uztárroz / Uztarroze), at a significant depth underground. The tremors occurred around midday and were felt in several small settlements in the region.
The earthquake was relatively weak, so most residents in the area did not notice any changes. However, in some villages such as Isaba (Isaba / Izaba), Izalzu (Izalzu / Itzaltzu), and Urzainqui (Urzainqui / Urzainki), a few people reported mild shaking. According to preliminary information, there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
Regional authorities have asked residents who felt the tremors to fill out a special questionnaire. It allows people to indicate where they were at the time of the earthquake, what they were doing, and to describe their observations and the reactions of those around them. This information helps experts more accurately assess the strength and impact of seismic events.
Collecting information from the public, alongside seismograph data, is considered an important part of earthquake monitoring. These reports allow authorities to alert residents to potential risks more quickly and to assess possible damage. Interestingly, the tradition of gathering such information from the population began in Spain back in the 18th century, after the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755, when tens of thousands of people died across the Iberian Peninsula.
In the past week alone, this area has experienced four earthquakes, bringing the total for the month to eleven. However, today’s tremor was the strongest in the past six months. For comparison, a similar magnitude earthquake was recorded here in September, but it did not cause any noticeable consequences.
