Earthquakes in Gessopalena
Seismic activity in the surroundings
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.
How seismic is this area?
The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
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 = 0.161 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Gessopalena plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Gessopalena
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Gessopalena over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2006NF29 May 2006
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Gargano earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 138 km away
- 2003III1 June 2003
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Molise earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 63 km away
- 2002III-IV1 November 2002
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Molise earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 59 km away
- 1984NC7 May 1984
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 46 km away
- 1980V23 November 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 159 km away
- 1979IV19 September 1979
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Valnerina earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 132 km away
- 1933VIII26 September 1933
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Maiella earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 15 km away
- 1915VII13 January 1915
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 61 km away
- 1706IX3 November 1706
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Maiella earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 16 km away
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 sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.
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).
Area over time
Earthquake map
17 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Gessopalena 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 Chieti0 events · 30gAbruzzo region76 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Gessopalena?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Gessopalena area: the latest nearby dates back to 11 months ago.
Is Gessopalena a seismic area?
Gessopalena is classified in seismic zone 1 by the Civil Protection. The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
What was the strongest earthquake near Gessopalena?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Gessopalena was magnitude 3.2, in 2017.
When was the last quake near Gessopalena?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Gessopalena was 9 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)