Earthquakes in Madesimo
Confine Italia-Svizzera (SVIZZERA)
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 = 0.056 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Madesimo plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Madesimo
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Madesimo over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1927V13 August 1927
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Alta Engadina earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 43 km away · observed at Montespluga
- 1917IV-V9 December 1917
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Alta Engadina earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 34 km away · observed at Montespluga
- 1917IV9 December 1917
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Alta Engadina earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 34 km away · observed at Madesimo (Pianazzo)
- 1901III30 October 1901
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Garda occidentale earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 131 km away · observed at Montespluga
- 1882NF27 February 1882
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Valle Seriana earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 78 km away · observed at Montespluga
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 77 km from Western S-Alps internal thrust, 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?
Madesimo sits in one of the most seismically active areas of its province: quakes are a familiar presence here, almost always light.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Sondrio5 events · 30gLombardy region11 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Madesimo?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Madesimo area: the latest nearby dates back to 3 days ago.
Is Madesimo a seismic area?
Madesimo 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 Madesimo?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Madesimo was magnitude 3.5, in 2016.
When was the last quake near Madesimo?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Madesimo 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)