Earthquakes in Butera
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 = 0.071 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Butera plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Butera
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Butera over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2005NF21 November 2005
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Sicilia centrale earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 44 km away
- 2004III30 December 2004
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 60 km away
- 2004NF5 May 2004
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 161 km away
- 1990V13 December 1990
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 115 km away
- 1990NF29 October 1990
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 118 km away
- 1980II23 January 1980
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 68 km away
- 1905NF8 September 1905
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 243 km away
- 1903III13 July 1903
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Calatino earthquake (M4.1), epicentre 40 km away
- 1898IV3 November 1898
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Calatino earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 37 km away
- 1897NF28 May 1897
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Ionio earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 387 km away
- 1897NF11 February 1897
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 193 km away
- 1693VII11 January 1693
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 78 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 1 km from Sciacca-Gela, 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?
Butera is about average for its province in recorded quakes.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Caltanissetta0 events · 30gSicily region126 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Butera?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Butera area: the latest nearby dates back to 1 month ago.
Is Butera a seismic area?
Butera 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 Butera?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Butera was magnitude 3.4, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Butera?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Butera was 3 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)