Earthquakes in Craco
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?
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 = 0.098 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Craco plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Craco
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Craco over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1995III29 May 1995
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Val d'Agri earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 35 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1991V26 May 1991
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Potentino earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 64 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1990V-VI5 May 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 73 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1988IV8 January 1988
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Pollino earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 58 km away
- 1980IV14 May 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Alta Val d'Agri earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 55 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1978IV24 September 1978
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Materano earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 32 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1905V-VI8 September 1905
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 177 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1894IV-V28 May 1894
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Pollino earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 54 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1857VII-VIII16 December 1857
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 51 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1846VI-VII8 August 1846
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 32 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1836VI-VII25 April 1836
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Calabria settentrionale earthquake (M6.2), epicentre 92 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
- 1694VII8 September 1694
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 104 km away · observed at Craco Peschiera
…and 3 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 32 km from Baragiano-Palagianello, 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?
Craco is quieter than the average of its province.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Matera5 events · 30gBasilicata region31 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Craco?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Craco area: the latest nearby dates back to 13 days ago.
Is Craco a seismic area?
Craco 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 Craco?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Craco was magnitude 3.5, in 2021.
When was the last quake near Craco?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Craco was 13 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)