Earthquakes in Motta San Giovanni
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 = 0.264 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Motta San Giovanni plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Motta San Giovanni
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Motta San Giovanni over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1975VII16 January 1975
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 14 km away
- 1975VI-VII16 January 1975
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Cambareri
- 1975VI-VII16 January 1975
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Lazzaro
- 1975VI16 January 1975
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Sant'Elia
- 1908X28 December 1908
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 16 km away · observed at Lazzaro
- 1908IX-X28 December 1908
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 16 km away
- 1907VII-VIII23 October 1907
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Aspromonte earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 26 km away
- 1907VII23 October 1907
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Aspromonte earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 26 km away · observed at Lazzaro
- 1907VII23 October 1907
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Aspromonte earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 26 km away · observed at Valanidi
- 1894VII16 November 1894
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Calabria meridionale earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 35 km away
- 1783VI28 March 1783
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 109 km away
- 1783VIII5 February 1783
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Calabria meridionale earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 40 km away
…and 20 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 3 km from Aspromonte-Peloritani, 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?
Motta San Giovanni 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 Reggio Calabria20 events · 30gCalabria region94 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Motta San Giovanni?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Motta San Giovanni area: the latest nearby dates back to 3 days ago.
Is Motta San Giovanni a seismic area?
Motta San Giovanni 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 Motta San Giovanni?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Motta San Giovanni was magnitude 3.9, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Motta San Giovanni?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Motta San Giovanni was yesterday.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)