Province of Bologna

Earthquakes in Zola Predosa

1.6
very light
LATEST QUAKE

4 km South of Monte San Pietro

yesterday · 24 Aug, 02:12
Depth 18 km

Seismic activity in the surroundings

30 km radius
Today
days since the last quake nearby
337
quakes recorded since 2014
~13 days
on average, one quake every
3.3
The strongest within 30 km
3 km North-East of Marano sul Panaro
23 months ago · 30 Sept, 04:46

INGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.

How seismic is this area?

Zone3
Seismic zone 3

Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.

Official Civil Protection classification (upd. 2025), used for building codes.

Medium
Expected shaking, compared with the other Italian municipalities (INGV MPS04 model)

Hazard describes the long-term expected shaking: it is not a forecast. Technical value: ag = 0.162 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).

Closest earthquake
Earthquake details
1
In the town
total on record
0
In the town
last 12 months
4
In the area
last 12 months
M2.4
Strongest ever
In the area

The “area” is Zola Predosa plus nearby towns.

Last earthquake: 104 months ago · 18,193 inhabitants

The seismic history of Zola Predosa

The earthquakes that were actually felt in Zola Predosa over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).

  1. 1929VII20 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Gesso

  2. 1929VII20 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Rivabella

  3. 1929VII20 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Ponte Ronca

  4. 1929VI-VII20 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Lavino di Sopra

  5. 1929VI-VII20 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away

  6. 1929D20 April 1929

    Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Casa Bianca

  7. 1929VI-VII19 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 1 km away · observed at Ponte Ronca

  8. 1929VI-VII19 April 1929

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 1 km away · observed at Casa Bianca

  9. 1929VI19 April 1929

    Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 1 km away · observed at Lavino di Sopra

  10. 1929VI19 April 1929

    Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 1 km away

  11. 1929VI19 April 1929

    Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 1 km away · observed at Rivabella

  12. 1505VII3 January 1505

    Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.

    Bolognese earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 1 km away

…and 24 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.

20126.1
Pianura emiliana earthquake
20 May 2012 · 44 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
15016.0
Modenese earthquake
5 June 1501 · 30 km from here
IXDestructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
20125.9
Pianura emiliana earthquake
29 May 2012 · 40 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
17255.7
Appennino tosco-emiliano earthquake
29 October 1725 · 43 km from here
VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.

Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).

The closest seismic structure

Castelvetro di Modena-Castel San Pietro Terme

The town sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.

estimated maximum magnitude 6.8between 2 and 8 km deep

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

August 20261eventmax 1.6
Oct
Jan '25
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan '26
Apr
Jul

Earthquake map

42 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

Earthquakes in the area

1.6
4 km South of Monte San Pietro
15 km South-West · 18 km
yesterday
24 Aug, 02:12
1.7
4 km South-West of Ozzano dell'Emilia
20 km South-East · 23 km
2 months ago
28 Jun, 04:07
1.0
2 months ago
27 Jun, 17:54
1.7
4 km South of Sasso Marconi
15 km South · 25 km
8 months ago
14 Dec, 08:23
2.3
13 months ago
1 Aug, 06:22
1.8
5 km South-West of Ozzano dell'Emilia
20 km South-East · 33 km
22 months ago
28 Oct, 20:31
2.2
22 months ago
28 Oct, 12:21
2.2
22 months ago
28 Oct, 12:07
1.4
2 km East of Valsamoggia
12 km South-West · 49 km
26 months ago
2 Jul, 00:42
1.5
30 months ago
8 Mar, 10:19

Nearby towns

How does it compare with the surroundings?

Zola Predosa is quieter than the average of its province.

quietermore active
More epicentres than 31% of the 55 towns in the province.
Zola Predosa1
Nearby towns average3.4

Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.

Context

Province of Bologna16 events · 30gEmilia-Romagna region45 events · 30g
ISTAT code: 037060

Frequently asked questions

Were there earthquakes today in Zola Predosa?

No, no quakes were recorded today in the Zola Predosa area: the latest nearby dates back to yesterday.

Is Zola Predosa a seismic area?

Zola Predosa 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 Zola Predosa?

In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Zola Predosa was magnitude 3.3, in 2024.

When was the last quake near Zola Predosa?

The last quake recorded within 30 km of Zola Predosa was 8 hours ago.

Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.

Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)

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