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Scientists trigger controlled earthquakes under Swiss Alps at BedrettoLab
Researchers triggered thousands of tiny earthquakes in BedrettoLab beneath the Swiss Alps by injecting water into boreholes over four days in late April 2026. About 8,000 micro-events occurred with magnitudes from -5 to -0.14, and no surface shaking was felt. The team calls the experiment a success and plans a June follow-up to attempt to reach magnitude 1.
Why It Matters
It advances understanding of fault behavior at depth. The results could inform approaches to mitigate seismic risk by guiding how to avoid producing larger earthquakes.
Timeline
2 Events
Next BedrettoLab test planned to reach magnitude 1
May 11, 2026
The researchers said the findings would help determine the best injection angles to reach magnitude 1 at BedrettoLab, with a follow-up attempt planned in June. The plan emphasizes refining methods to explore how faults move at depth while ensuring safety.
Late-April deep underground injection and induced quakes
April 2026
Over four days in late April 2026, researchers injected 750 cubic metres of water into boreholes drilled into the tunnel walls of BedrettoLab, a deep underground facility inside a 5.2-kilometre ventilation tunnel leading to the Furka railway tunnel. The operation triggered about 8,000 small seismic events along the targeted fault and perpendicular faults. Local magnitudes ranged from -5 to -0.14, with the largest near the fault estimated to produce acceleration of about 1.5 g; no surface shaking was felt. The experiment was conducted remotely from ETH Zurich, with no personnel in the tunnel for safety. The team described the effort as a success and noted that while the target magnitude of 1 was not reached, they were 'just below' it and had valuable insights for future injections.