Earthquakes in Forenza
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 = 0.141 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Forenza plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Forenza
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Forenza over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1996III-IV3 April 1996
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Irpinia earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 40 km away
- 1991V-VI26 May 1991
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 18 km away
- 1990III-IV28 August 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Potentino earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 15 km away
- 1990V-VI5 May 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 16 km away
- 1987IV-V28 January 1987
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Potentino earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 25 km away
- 1980V-VI23 November 1980
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 48 km away
- 1966IV6 July 1966
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Alta Murgia earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 31 km away
- 1910IV-V7 June 1910
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 37 km away
- 1857VI16 December 1857
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 56 km away
- 1851VI14 August 1851
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Vulture earthquake (M6.5), epicentre 20 km away
- 1731VI-VII20 March 1731
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Tavoliere delle Puglie earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 48 km away
- 1694VII8 September 1694
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 38 km away
…and 21 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 10 km from Andretta-Filano, 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?
Forenza 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 Potenza26 events · 30gBasilicata region31 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Forenza?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Forenza area: the latest nearby dates back to 9 days ago.
Is Forenza a seismic area?
Forenza 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 Forenza?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Forenza was magnitude 4.2, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Forenza?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Forenza 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)