Earthquakes in Licata
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?
Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
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 = 0.057 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Licata plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Licata
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Licata over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2020III22 December 2020
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Ragusano earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 52 km away
- 2002IV6 September 2002
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 137 km away
- 1990III-IV16 December 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 141 km away
- 1990VI13 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 138 km away
- 1990III-IV29 October 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 123 km away
- 1968V15 January 1968
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 105 km away
- 1959IV23 December 1959
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Piana di Catania earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 94 km away
- 1949IV8 October 1949
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 75 km away
- 1937IV6 March 1937
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 75 km away
- 1908V-VI28 December 1908
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 194 km away
- 1693VII-VIII11 January 1693
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 100 km away
- 1542VI-VII10 December 1542
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 94 km away
…and 10 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
59 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Licata 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 Agrigento1 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Licata?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Licata area: the latest nearby dates back to 3 months ago.
Is Licata a seismic area?
Licata is classified in seismic zone 3 by the Civil Protection. Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
What was the strongest earthquake near Licata?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Licata was magnitude 2.7, in 2024.
When was the last quake near Licata?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Licata was 28 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)