Earthquakes in Santa Maria del Molise
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 = 0.267 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Santa Maria del Molise plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Santa Maria del Molise
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Santa Maria del Molise over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002IV12 November 2002
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Molise earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 38 km away
- 2002V1 November 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Molise earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 45 km away
- 1998V-VI7 March 1998
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Isernino earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 4 km away
- 1991V-VI27 June 1991
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Isernino earthquake (M3.3), epicentre 6 km away
- 1985IV14 March 1985
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Isernino earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 13 km away
- 1984VI-VII7 May 1984
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti della Meta earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 28 km away
- 1956V25 November 1956
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isernino earthquake (M4.1), epicentre 3 km away · observed at Sant'Angelo in Grotte
- 1956V25 November 1956
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isernino earthquake (M4.1), epicentre 3 km away · observed at Pezzellitti
- 1885V26 December 1885
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Molise earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 19 km away · observed at Sant'Angelo in Grotte
- 1805IX-X26 July 1805
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Molise earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 11 km away · observed at Sant'Angelo in Grotte
- 1688VIII5 June 1688
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Sannio earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 34 km away
- 1456IX5 December 1456
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Appennino centro-meridionale earthquake (M7.2), epicentre 40 km away · observed at Sant'Angelo in Grotte
…and 8 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?
Santa Maria del Molise 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 Isernia13 events · 30gMolise region16 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Santa Maria del Molise?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Santa Maria del Molise area: the latest nearby dates back to 18 days ago.
Is Santa Maria del Molise a seismic area?
Santa Maria del Molise 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 Santa Maria del Molise?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Santa Maria del Molise was magnitude 4.6, in 2023.
When was the last quake near Santa Maria del Molise?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Santa Maria del Molise 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)