Province of Varese

Earthquakes today in Busto Arsizio

Today, within 30 km: no earthquakes recorded (updated at 13:18). Latest: M1.5 on 1 January 2025 at 23:47, 2 km North-West of Cassinetta di Lugagnano, 12 km deep.

1.5
very light

Latest earthquake within 30 km

2 km North-West of Cassinetta di Lugagnano

1 year ago · 1 Jan 2025, 23:47
Depth 12 km

Seismic activity within 30 km

30 km radius
650
days since the last quake within 30 km
11
quakes recorded since 2015
~13 months
on average, one quake every
3.8
The strongest within 30 km
2 km North of Milano
5 years ago · 17 Dec 2020, 16:59

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

How seismic is Busto Arsizio: zone 4

Zone4
Seismic zone 4

The quietest class: the probability of strong earthquakes is very low.

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

Very low
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 = 0.038 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).

Why the ground rarely shakes here

Busto Arsizio sits in one of the most stable areas of Italy: far from the boundary between the Eurasian and African plates, on ancient, rigid crust that hardly accumulates tectonic stress any more.

That is why earthquakes here are rare and almost always weak: a small geological privilege.

Closest earthquake
Go to Buscate Earthquake details
0
In the town
total on record
0
In the town
last 12 months
0
Within 30 km
last 12 months
M3.8
Strongest since 2015
Within 30 km

“Within 30 km”: epicentres less than 30 km from the centre of Busto Arsizio. “In the town”: quakes whose nearest town to the epicentre is Busto Arsizio.

No epicentre attributed to Busto Arsizio in the INGV catalogue since 2015 · 79,692 inhabitants

The seismic history of Busto Arsizio

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

  1. 2011III17 July 2011

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Pianura lombardo-veneta earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 208 km away

  2. 2008F23 December 2008

    Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.

    Parmense earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 167 km away

  3. 1983IV9 November 1983

    Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.

    Parmense earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 146 km away

  4. 1976F6 May 1976

    Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.

    Friuli earthquake (M6.5), epicentre 338 km away

  5. 1972II-III25 October 1972

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Appennino settentrionale earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 147 km away

  6. 1960II-III23 March 1960

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Vallese earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 106 km away

  7. 1920III7 September 1920

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Garfagnana earthquake (M6.5), epicentre 194 km away

  8. 1913NF25 November 1913

    Imperceptible: only instruments record it.

    Appennino parmense earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 158 km away

  9. 1898III4 March 1898

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Parmense earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 153 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.

13965.3
Monza earthquake
26 November 1396 · 33 km from here
VII-VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
19184.6
Pianura lombarda earthquake
13 January 1918 · 17 km from here
IV-VRather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
13044.4
Pianura lombarda earthquake
18 December 1304 · 30 km from here
V-VIStrong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
13124.2
Pianura lombarda earthquake
14 October 1312 · 30 km from here
VRather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.

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

The closest seismic structure

Western S-Alps external thrust shallow-west

The town lies about 38 km from Western S-Alps external thrust shallow-west, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.

estimated maximum magnitude 6.2between 2 and 6 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).

Over time within 30 km

January 20251eventmax 1.5
Jan '25
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan '26
Apr
Jul
Oct

Earthquake map within 30 km

11 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

Latest earthquakes within 30 km

1.5
1 year ago
1 Jan 2025, 23:47
1.6
2 km North-West of Noviglio
30 km South-East · 35 km
2 years ago
10 Oct 2024, 22:21
1.8
1 km North-West of Travedona-Monate
27 km North-West · 24 km
3 years ago
18 Jun 2023, 21:56
3.8
2 km North of Milano
28 km South-East · 55 km
5 years ago
17 Dec 2020, 16:59
1.8
5 years ago
19 Oct 2020, 21:49
1.3
2 km South-East of Novara
27 km South-West · 27 km
6 years ago
10 Jul 2020, 03:44
2.6
1 km South-West of Magenta
18 km South · 24 km
7 years ago
20 May 2019, 08:47
2.4
1 km East of Novedrate
26 km East · 33 km
9 years ago
29 Apr 2017, 01:30
2.7
4 km North-East of Milano
29 km East · 23 km
10 years ago
15 Jun 2016, 04:27
1.4
4 km South-West of Romentino
22 km South-West · 33 km
10 years ago
8 May 2016, 16:39

Nearby towns

How does it compare with the surroundings?

Busto Arsizio is among the quietest towns of its province: very few epicentres are recorded here.

quietermore active
More epicentres than 0% of the 138 towns in the province.
Busto Arsizio0
Nearby towns average0.1

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

Context

Province of Varese0 events · last 30 daysLombardy region14 events · last 30 days
ISTAT code: 012026

Frequently asked questions

Were there earthquakes near Busto Arsizio today?

No, no quakes were recorded today within 30 km of Busto Arsizio. The latest dates back to 1 January 2025.

Is Busto Arsizio a seismic area?

Busto Arsizio is classified in seismic zone 4 by the Civil Protection. The quietest class: the probability of strong earthquakes is very low.

What was the strongest earthquake near Busto Arsizio?

In the INGV catalogue since 2015, the strongest earthquake within 30 km of Busto Arsizio was magnitude 3.8, on 17 December 2020.

When was the last quake near Busto Arsizio?

The last quake recorded within 30 km of Busto Arsizio dates back to 1 January 2025, magnitude 1.5.

Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.

Sources:INGV earthquake catalogueDBMI15 macroseismic historyCivil Protection seismic classification

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