Earthquakes in Prelà
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 = 0.159 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Prelà plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Prelà
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Prelà over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2001III-IV25 February 2001
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Mar Ligure earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 63 km away · observed at Prelà (Molini)
- 2000II21 August 2000
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Monferrato earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 115 km away · observed at Prelà (Molini)
- 1993NF17 July 1993
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 39 km away · observed at Prelà (Molini)
- 1989III26 December 1989
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Mar Ligure earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 56 km away · observed at Prelà (Molini)
- 1887VII-VIII23 February 1887
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Tavole
- 1887VII-VIII23 February 1887
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Valloria
- 1887VII-VIII23 February 1887
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Villatalla
- 1887VII23 February 1887
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Praelo
- 1831VII-VIII26 May 1831
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 11 km away · observed at Villatalla
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 16 km from Imperia Promontory, 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?
Prelà is quieter than the average of its province.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Imperia5 events · 30gLiguria region13 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Prelà?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Prelà area: the latest nearby dates back to 3 months ago.
Is Prelà a seismic area?
Prelà 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 Prelà?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Prelà was magnitude 3.1, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Prelà?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Prelà was 6 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)