Earthquakes in Pietragalla
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 = 0.149 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Pietragalla plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Pietragalla
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Pietragalla over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2006IV-V29 May 2006
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Gargano earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 116 km away
- 1998IV26 April 1998
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Potentino earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 13 km away
- 1996IV3 April 1996
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Irpinia earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 36 km away
- 1995IV30 September 1995
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Gargano earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 115 km away
- 1991VI26 May 1991
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 8 km away
- 1990VI-VII5 May 1990
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 10 km away
- 1980V23 November 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 49 km away
- 1948VI18 August 1948
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Gargano earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 92 km away
- 1930VI23 July 1930
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Irpinia earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 57 km away
- 1857VI-VII16 December 1857
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 45 km away
- 1851VI14 August 1851
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Vulture earthquake (M6.5), epicentre 28 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 40 km away
…and 15 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 8 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?
Pietragalla 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 Potenza27 events · 30gBasilicata region32 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Pietragalla?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Pietragalla area: the latest nearby dates back to 10 days ago.
Is Pietragalla a seismic area?
Pietragalla 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 Pietragalla?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Pietragalla was magnitude 4.2, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Pietragalla?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Pietragalla 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)