Earthquakes in Otranto
Costa Albanese meridionale (ALBANIA)
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 = 0.063 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Otranto plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Otranto
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Otranto over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1980IV23 November 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.8), epicentre 282 km away
- 1932III30 March 1932
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Bassa Murgia earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 147 km away
- 1932II2 January 1932
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Ionio settentrionale earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 142 km away
- 1905IV8 September 1905
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 258 km away
- 1897HF28 May 1897
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ionio earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 349 km away · observed at Palascia [faro]
- 1897V28 May 1897
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ionio earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 349 km away
- 1897III11 February 1897
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 372 km away
- 1857F16 December 1857
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Basilicata earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 226 km away
- 1783III28 March 1783
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 229 km away
- 1743VII20 February 1743
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Ionio settentrionale earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 40 km away
- 1694IV8 September 1694
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 273 km away
- 1480F1480
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Ascolano earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 496 km away
…and 6 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 lies about 59 km from South Apulia Fault System - North, 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
8 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Otranto 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 Lecce0 events · 30gPuglia region20 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Otranto?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Otranto area: the latest nearby dates back to 20 months ago.
Is Otranto a seismic area?
Otranto 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 Otranto?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Otranto was magnitude 3.1, in 2015.
When was the last quake near Otranto?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Otranto was 131 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)