Earthquakes in Palena
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 = 0.246 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Palena plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Palena
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Palena over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002IV-V1 November 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Molise earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 65 km away
- 1990IV5 May 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 193 km away
- 1984VI11 May 1984
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 43 km away
- 1984VII7 May 1984
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 34 km away
- 1980IV-V23 November 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 159 km away
- 1933VII-VIII26 September 1933
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Maiella earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 12 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 12 km away · observed at Santa Maria in Montepianizzo
- 1915VII-VIII13 January 1915
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 49 km away
- 1905IV-V25 August 1905
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle Peligna earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 10 km away
- 1904IV-V2 November 1904
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Marsica earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 18 km away
- 1841VII10 June 1841
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Maiella earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 13 km away
- 1706X-XI3 November 1706
Catastrophic: very few buildings remain standing; landslides and ground cracks.
Maiella earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 12 km away
…and 8 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 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
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Palena sits in one of the most seismically active areas of its province: quakes are a familiar presence here, almost always light.
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 Palena?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Palena area: the latest nearby dates back to 12 days ago.
Is Palena a seismic area?
Palena 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 Palena?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Palena was magnitude 3.2, in 2017.
When was the last quake near Palena?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Palena was 3 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)