Earthquakes in Villafranca Sicula
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 = 0.080 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Villafranca Sicula plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Villafranca Sicula
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Villafranca Sicula over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2004NF5 May 2004
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 172 km away
- 1992III6 August 1992
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M3.9), epicentre 25 km away
- 1968VII15 January 1968
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 34 km away
- 1933IV26 February 1933
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Sciacca earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 10 km away
- 1908IV-V28 December 1908
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 221 km away
- 1727F8 May 1727
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 19 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 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
55 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Villafranca Sicula 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 Agrigento1 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Villafranca Sicula?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Villafranca Sicula area: the latest nearby dates back to 12 months ago.
Is Villafranca Sicula a seismic area?
Villafranca Sicula 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 Villafranca Sicula?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Villafranca Sicula was magnitude 4.1, in 2022.
When was the last quake near Villafranca Sicula?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Villafranca Sicula 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)