Earthquakes in Ercolano
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 = 0.169 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Ercolano plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Ercolano
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Ercolano over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1999IV-V9 October 1999
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Area vesuviana earthquake (M3.2), epicentre 3 km away
- 1996IV3 April 1996
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Irpinia earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 93 km away
- 1990IV-V5 May 1990
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 116 km away
- 1980VI23 November 1980
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 77 km away
- 1915V13 January 1915
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 150 km away
- 1915F13 January 1915
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Marsica earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 150 km away · observed at Osservatorio Vesuviano
- 1913IV4 October 1913
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Molise earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 82 km away
- 1893IV25 January 1893
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Vallo di Diano earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 90 km away
- 1861F9 December 1861
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Torre del Greco earthquake (M3.3), epicentre 4 km away
- 1857V16 December 1857
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 134 km away
- 1779VI12 December 1779
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Napoletano earthquake (M3.4), epicentre 3 km away
- 1456VI5 December 1456
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Appennino centro-meridionale earthquake (M7.2), epicentre 61 km away
…and 4 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 38 km from Ischia, 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?
Ercolano 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 Napoli112 events · 30gCampania region129 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Ercolano?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Ercolano area: the latest nearby dates back to 4 days ago.
Is Ercolano a seismic area?
Ercolano 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 Ercolano?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Ercolano was magnitude 4.7, in 2026.
When was the last quake near Ercolano?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Ercolano was 3 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)