A magnitude 4.1 earthquake shook the Nice area and wider Côte d'Azur region on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at approximately 6:45 PM. The earthquake was centered about 15 kilometers north of Nice, between the communes of Coaraze and Contes. A 2.1 magnitude aftershock followed just a few minutes later, and a stronger aftershock of 3.8 occurred later that evening at 10:25 PM.
Residents across the Alpes-Maritimes felt the tremor. Maxime André, a 34-year-old man living in Antibes, shared his experience saying, "On était dans l'appartement et on a entendu les petits objets bouger, on a vu le miroir vibrer, ça a duré bien trois secondes, c'était assez long," which translates to, "We were in the apartment and heard little objects moving; we saw the mirror vibrating; it lasted about three seconds, it was quite long." His description reflects the anxious moments many locals experienced.
The quake was significant enough to prompt numerous calls to emergency services. However, initial reports from the SDIS 06, the fire department of the Alpes-Maritimes, indicated, "Aucune notion de victime ni d'impact structurel pour l'instant," meaning that there were no reports of injuries or structural impacts at that time.
Prefect Hugues Moutouh provided further reassurance, stating via social media, "Aucun blessé mais de nombreux appels reçus par les services de secours. Pas de risque de tsunami ni d'effet attendu sur les infrastructures," which translates to, "No injuries but numerous calls received by emergency services. There is no tsunami risk and no anticipated effects on infrastructure." This message aimed to alleviate concerns that typically arise following seismic events.
This earthquake and subsequent aftershocks served as a reminder of the seismic activity prevalent in the region, which frequently experiences minor tremors. While most quakes tend to be relatively low in magnitude, incidents like this highlight the potential for more significant seismic events.
Witness accounts varied, with another individual from Grasse likening the quake to a train passing under their house. Such descriptions characterized the shared experience among residents as they adapted to the unexpected disturbance in their evening routines.
Emergency services remained on high alert after the initial tremors, prepared to respond to any developments that might arise from the aftershocks. As the evening progressed, many residents took to social media to discuss their experiences, express relief at the lack of injuries, and share safety tips with each other.
In summary, while the earthquake created moments of anxiety and prompted a flurry of activity among local authorities, the overall impact was relatively minimal. The event drew attention to the geological risks faced by communities in the Côte d'Azur, while simultaneously reinforcing the effectiveness of local emergency protocols and communications in the face of natural phenomena.
