Earthquakes in Mascali
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 = 0.222 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Mascali plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Mascali
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Mascali over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002V2 December 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Macchia (Giarre) earthquake (M3.2), epicentre 5 km away · observed at Tagliaborsa
- 1990VI13 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 55 km away
- 1952V-VI19 March 1952
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 10 km away · observed at Contrada Giuliana
- 1952V19 March 1952
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 10 km away · observed at Montargano
- 1952V19 March 1952
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 10 km away · observed at Nunziata
- 1952V19 March 1952
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 10 km away · observed at Puntalazzo
- 1911VI15 October 1911
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Etna - Fondo Macchia (Giarre) earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Nunziata
- 1908VII28 December 1908
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 64 km away
- 1818VIII20 February 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 17 km away
- 1818VIII20 February 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 17 km away · observed at Nunziata
- 1693X11 January 1693
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 69 km away
- 1693V-VI9 January 1693
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 69 km away
…and 138 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 7 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?
Mascali 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 Catania23 events · 30gSicily region126 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Mascali?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Mascali area: the latest nearby dates back to 5 days ago.
Is Mascali a seismic area?
Mascali 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 Mascali?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Mascali was magnitude 4.9, in 2018.
When was the last quake near Mascali?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Mascali was 5 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)