Earthquakes in Somma Vesuviana
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 = 0.173 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Somma Vesuviana plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Somma Vesuviana
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Somma Vesuviana over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2003NF1 June 2003
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Molise earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 92 km away
- 1996III3 April 1996
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Irpinia earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 88 km away
- 1991NF26 May 1991
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Potentino earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 118 km away
- 1990III-IV5 May 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 110 km away
- 1984VI7 May 1984
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 93 km away · observed at Montesanto
- 1980VI23 November 1980
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 71 km away
- 1913IV4 October 1913
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Molise earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 74 km away
- 1910IV-V7 June 1910
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 82 km away
- 1901II31 July 1901
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Sorano earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 110 km away · observed at Montesanto
- 1857VI16 December 1857
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 132 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 81 km away
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 45 km from Mirabella Eclano-Monteverde, 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?
Somma Vesuviana is among the quietest towns of its province: very few epicentres are recorded here.
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 Somma Vesuviana?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Somma Vesuviana area: the latest nearby dates back to 4 days ago.
Is Somma Vesuviana a seismic area?
Somma Vesuviana 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 Somma Vesuviana?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Somma Vesuviana was magnitude 4.7, in 2026.
When was the last quake near Somma Vesuviana?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Somma Vesuviana 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)