Earthquakes in Cappadocia
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?
A zone where strong earthquakes are possible: new buildings follow strict anti-seismic criteria.
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 = 0.174 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Cappadocia plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Cappadocia
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Cappadocia over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2000IV11 March 2000
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Valle dell'Aniene earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 20 km away
- 1998V12 May 1998
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Simbruini earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 6 km away
- 1994IV-V7 August 1994
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Val Roveto earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 8 km away
- 1994IV-V5 August 1994
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Val Roveto earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 8 km away
- 1984IV-V7 May 1984
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 76 km away
- 1961V6 April 1961
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Val Roveto earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 11 km away
- 1960VII14 March 1960
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Marsica earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 4 km away
- 1933V26 September 1933
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Maiella earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 70 km away
- 1915IV-V5 April 1915
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle dell'Aniene earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 29 km away · observed at Petrella Liri
- 1915VIII13 January 1915
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 23 km away
- 1915VIII13 January 1915
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 23 km away · observed at Petrella Liri
- 1915VII-VIII13 January 1915
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 23 km away · observed at Verrecchie
…and 25 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 11 km from Salto Lake-Ovindoli-Barrea, 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).
Area over time
Earthquake map
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Cappadocia is about average for its province in recorded quakes.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of L'Aquila46 events · 30gAbruzzo region74 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Cappadocia?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Cappadocia area: the latest nearby dates back to 1 month ago.
Is Cappadocia a seismic area?
Cappadocia is classified in seismic zone 2 by the Civil Protection. A zone where strong earthquakes are possible: new buildings follow strict anti-seismic criteria.
What was the strongest earthquake near Cappadocia?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Cappadocia was magnitude 4.1, in 2019.
When was the last quake near Cappadocia?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Cappadocia was 10 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)