Earthquakes in Positano
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?
Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
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 = 0.086 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Positano plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Positano
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Positano over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1996NF3 April 1996
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Irpinia earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 85 km away
- 1990III5 May 1990
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 110 km away
- 1988NF8 January 1988
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Pollino earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 142 km away
- 1984NF7 May 1984
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 124 km away
- 1980V23 November 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 76 km away
- 1905IV14 March 1905
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Avellinese earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 50 km away
- 1904NF18 July 1904
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Beneventano earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 76 km away
- 1687VII25 April 1687
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Penisola Sorrentina earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 5 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 47 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
6 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Positano 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 Salerno9 events · 30gCampania region129 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Positano?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Positano area: the latest nearby dates back to 35 months ago.
Is Positano a seismic area?
Positano is classified in seismic zone 3 by the Civil Protection. Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
What was the strongest earthquake near Positano?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Positano was magnitude 5.9, in 2026.
When was the last quake near Positano?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Positano was 4 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)