Earthquakes today in Atessa
Today, within 30 km: no earthquakes recorded (updated at 11:39). Latest: M1.8 on 21 September 2026 at 15:27, 4 km North-West of Palena, 18 km deep.
Seismic activity within 30 km
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.
How seismic is Atessa: zone 3
Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
Official Civil Protection classification (upd. 2025), used for building codes.
Hazard describes the long-term expected shaking: it is not a forecast. Technical value: ag = 0.119 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
“Within 30 km”: epicentres less than 30 km from the centre of Atessa. “In the town”: quakes whose nearest town to the epicentre is Atessa.
The seismic history of Atessa
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Atessa over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002IV-V12 November 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Molise earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 49 km away
- 2002IV-V1 November 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Molise earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 48 km away
- 1984V11 May 1984
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 66 km away
- 1984VI7 May 1984
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 53 km away
- 1980V23 November 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 151 km away
- 1979V19 September 1979
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valnerina earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 144 km away
- 1933VII26 September 1933
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Maiella earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 29 km away
- 1915VI13 January 1915
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 75 km away
- 1905V25 August 1905
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle Peligna earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 34 km away
- 1895F9 August 1895
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Adriatico centrale earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 73 km away
- 1881V-VI10 September 1881
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Chietino earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 23 km away
- 1706VII-VIII3 November 1706
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Maiella earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 30 km away
…and 12 more documented effects in this town's history.
Source: Italian Macroseismic Database DBMI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The great earthquakes in this area's history
Almost a thousand years of catalogues: the strongest documented events within ~50 km.
Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
The closest seismic structure
The town lies about 5 km from Shallow Abruzzo Citeriore Basal Thrust, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.
Faults are mapped to build better and understand the territory: knowing them says nothing about when an earthquake will occur, which remains unpredictable. Source: DISS 3.3 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).
Over time within 30 km
Earthquake map within 30 km
60 eventsLatest earthquakes within 30 km
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Atessa is among the quietest towns of its province: very few epicentres are recorded here.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Chieti1 event · last 30 daysAbruzzo region63 events · last 30 daysFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes near Atessa today?
No, no quakes were recorded today within 30 km of Atessa. The latest dates back to 21 September 2026.
Is Atessa a seismic area?
Atessa is classified in seismic zone 3 by the Civil Protection. Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
What was the strongest earthquake near Atessa?
In the INGV catalogue since 2015, the strongest earthquake within 30 km of Atessa was magnitude 2.5, on 28 April 2016.
When was the last quake near Atessa?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Atessa dates back to 21 September 2026, magnitude 1.8.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Sources:INGV earthquake catalogueDBMI15 macroseismic historyCivil Protection seismic classification
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)