Earthquakes in San Massimo
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?
The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
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 = 0.269 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is San Massimo plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of San Massimo
The earthquakes that were actually felt in San Massimo over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1998II15 August 1998
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Isernino earthquake (M3.5), epicentre 9 km away
- 1991NF27 June 1991
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isernino earthquake (M3.3), epicentre 11 km away
- 1990III-IV5 May 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Potentino earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 139 km away
- 1990NF16 April 1990
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isernino earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 21 km away
- 1984V-VI7 May 1984
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 36 km away
- 1962V21 August 1962
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Irpinia earthquake (M6.2), epicentre 54 km away
- 1956III25 November 1956
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Isernino earthquake (M4.1), epicentre 11 km away
- 1805X26 July 1805
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Molise earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 6 km away
- 1456IX5 December 1456
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Appennino centro-meridionale earthquake (M7.2), epicentre 32 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.
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?
San Massimo records more quakes 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 Campobasso3 events · 30gMolise region16 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in San Massimo?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the San Massimo area: the latest nearby dates back to 18 days ago.
Is San Massimo a seismic area?
San Massimo is classified in seismic zone 1 by the Civil Protection. The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
What was the strongest earthquake near San Massimo?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of San Massimo was magnitude 4.3, in 2016.
When was the last quake near San Massimo?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of San Massimo 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)