Earthquakes in Niscemi
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 = 0.132 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Niscemi plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Niscemi
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Niscemi 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 24 km away
- 2002IV6 September 2002
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 149 km away
- 1990V-VI13 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 93 km away
- 1949V8 October 1949
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 37 km away
- 1937F6 March 1937
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 34 km away
- 1934V-VI11 September 1934
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia centro-settentrionale earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 36 km away
- 1908V28 December 1908
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 159 km away
- 1903V-VI13 July 1903
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Calatino earthquake (M4.1), epicentre 16 km away
- 1898IV3 November 1898
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Calatino earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 18 km away
- 1818V1 March 1818
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 33 km away
- 1818V20 February 1818
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 83 km away
- 1693VIII-IX11 January 1693
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 55 km away
…and 13 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 lies about 3 km from Gela-Catania, 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?
Niscemi 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 region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Niscemi?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Niscemi area: the latest nearby dates back to 21 days ago.
Is Niscemi a seismic area?
Niscemi 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 Niscemi?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Niscemi was magnitude 4.4, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Niscemi?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Niscemi was 27 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)