Small 3.3 quake hits near Bellinzona, Distretto di Bellinzona, Tessin, Switzerland
3.3 quake 18 Mar 4:52 pm (GMT +1)

A very shallow magnitude 3.3 earthquake was reported in the afternoon near Bellinzona, Distretto di Bellinzona, Tessin, Switzerland.
According to the Swiss Seismological Service (SED), the quake hit on Monday, March 18th, 2024, at 4:52 pm local time at a very shallow depth of 7.3 km. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. 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, or as other agencies issue their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Bosco Gurin (pop. 77) located 9 km from the epicenter.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Losone (pop. 6,100) located 30 km from the epicenter, Locarno (pop. 14,500) 31 km away, Minusio (pop. 6,700) 32 km away, Biasca (pop. 5,900) 33 km away, and Domodossola (pop. 17,800) 36 km away. In Bellinzona (pop. 16,600, 43 km away), Pallanza-Intra-Suna (pop. 28,900, 50 km away), and Lugano (pop. 63,000, 53 km away), the quake was probably not felt.


Earthquake data:
Date & time: Mar 18, 2024 05:52 pm (Zurich time) local time (18 Mar 2024 15:52 GMT)
Magnitude: 3.3
Depth: 7.3 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 46.39°N / 8.54°E (Vallemaggia District, Tessin, Switzerland)
Primary data source: SED
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquake/news/236934/Small-33-quake-hits-near-Bellinzona-Distretto-di-Bellinzona-Tessin-Switzerland.html