Earthquakes in Sambuca di Sicilia
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?
A zone where strong earthquakes are possible: new buildings follow strict anti-seismic criteria.
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 = 0.153 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Sambuca di Sicilia plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Sambuca di Sicilia
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Sambuca di Sicilia over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1992III6 August 1992
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M3.9), epicentre 34 km away
- 1981III7 June 1981
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Mazara del Vallo earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 55 km away
- 1973IV-V21 September 1973
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 15 km away
- 1972V27 December 1972
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 15 km away
- 1968VII25 January 1968
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 8 km away
- 1968VI16 January 1968
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 26 km away
- 1968VII-VIII15 January 1968
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 16 km away
- 1954II20 November 1954
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Sicilia centro-occidentale earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 31 km away
- 1933V26 February 1933
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sciacca earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 12 km away
- 1905NF8 September 1905
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 284 km away
- 1817III-IV14 January 1817
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M3.9), epicentre 16 km away
- 1727F8 May 1727
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 16 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 3 km from Monte Magaggiaro-Pizzo Telegrafo, 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
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Sambuca di Sicilia 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 Agrigento1 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Sambuca di Sicilia?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Sambuca di Sicilia area: the latest nearby dates back to 1 month ago.
Is Sambuca di Sicilia a seismic area?
Sambuca di Sicilia is classified in seismic zone 2 by the Civil Protection. A zone where strong earthquakes are possible: new buildings follow strict anti-seismic criteria.
What was the strongest earthquake near Sambuca di Sicilia?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Sambuca di Sicilia was magnitude 4.1, in 2022.
When was the last quake near Sambuca di Sicilia?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Sambuca di Sicilia was 1 month ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)