Earthquakes in Gela
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 = 0.111 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Gela plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Gela
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Gela over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2020IV-V22 December 2020
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ragusano earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 22 km away
- 2002IV6 September 2002
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 150 km away
- 1990IV-V13 December 1990
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 103 km away
- 1980F28 May 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 153 km away
- 1980III23 January 1980
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 51 km away
- 1937V6 March 1937
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 39 km away
- 1908VI28 December 1908
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 169 km away
- 1898IV3 November 1898
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Calatino earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 28 km away
- 1895III-IV13 April 1895
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei ? earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 36 km away
- 1823III-IV5 March 1823
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Sicilia settentrionale earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 120 km away
- 1694F16 May 1694
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Sicilia orientale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 89 km away
- 1693VIII11 January 1693
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 64 km away
…and 11 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
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Gela 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 Caltanissetta0 events · 30gSicily region126 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Gela?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Gela area: the latest nearby dates back to 21 days ago.
Is Gela a seismic area?
Gela 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 Gela?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Gela was magnitude 4.4, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Gela?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Gela 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)