Earthquakes in Cento
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 = 0.156 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Cento plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Cento
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Cento over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2012VI-VII29 May 2012
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 22 km away · observed at Alberone
- 2012D29 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 22 km away · observed at Pilastrello
- 2012D29 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 22 km away · observed at Buonacompra
- 2012D29 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 22 km away · observed at Molino Albergati
- 2012D29 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 22 km away · observed at Reno Centese
- 2012VI-VII20 May 2012
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Alberone
- 2012D20 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Molino Albergati
- 2012D20 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Buonacompra
- 2012D20 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Pilastrello
- 2012D20 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Reno Centese
- 2012VI20 May 2012
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Pianura emiliana earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 14 km away · observed at Casumaro
- 1570VI-VII17 November 1570
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Ferrarese earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 25 km away · observed at Corpo Reno
…and 63 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 sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.
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?
Cento 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 Ferrara2 events · 30gEmilia-Romagna region45 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Cento?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Cento area: the latest nearby dates back to 19 days ago.
Is Cento a seismic area?
Cento 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 Cento?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Cento was magnitude 4.2, in 2023.
When was the last quake near Cento?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Cento was 19 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)