Earthquakes in Ornavasso
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 quietest class: the probability of strong earthquakes is very low.
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 = 0.053 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Ornavasso plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Ornavasso
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Ornavasso over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1993IV-V14 June 1993
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Val d'Ossola earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 9 km away
- 1918II24 April 1918
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Lecchese earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 84 km away
- 1914IV27 October 1914
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Lucchesia earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 287 km away
- 1909III13 January 1909
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Emilia Romagna orientale earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 300 km away
- 1905F29 April 1905
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Haute-Savoie, Vallorcine earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 107 km away
- 1887IV23 February 1887
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 233 km away
- 1884III12 September 1884
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Pianura lombarda earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 116 km away
- 1882IV27 February 1882
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Valle Seriana earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 119 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 lies about 48 km from Western Valais, 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
7 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Ornavasso is among the quietest towns of its province: very few epicentres are recorded here.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola2 events · 30gPiedmont region34 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Ornavasso?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Ornavasso area: the latest nearby dates back to 22 months ago.
Is Ornavasso a seismic area?
Ornavasso 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 Ornavasso?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Ornavasso was magnitude 2.3, in 2022.
When was the last quake near Ornavasso?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Ornavasso was 2 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)