Earthquakes in Nicolosi
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 = 0.224 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Nicolosi plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Nicolosi
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Nicolosi over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1942VI-VII15 November 1942
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M3.5), epicentre 5 km away
- 1908VI-VII28 December 1908
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 80 km away
- 1901VII11 May 1901
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 5 km away
- 1885VI-VII2 October 1885
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M3.5), epicentre 5 km away
- 1885VII25 September 1885
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 5 km away
- 1883VII-VIII22 March 1883
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 5 km away
- 1848VII11 January 1848
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Golfo di Catania earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 33 km away
- 1832VII24 November 1832
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 5 km away
- 1818VII-VIII20 February 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 13 km away
- 1693X-XI11 January 1693
Catastrophic: very few buildings remain standing; landslides and ground cracks.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 58 km away
- 1669VII-VIII10 March 1669
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 5 km away
- 1633VII-VIII22 February 1633
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Nicolosi earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 5 km away
…and 160 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?
Nicolosi 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 region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Nicolosi?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Nicolosi area: the latest nearby dates back to 5 days ago.
Is Nicolosi a seismic area?
Nicolosi 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 Nicolosi?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Nicolosi was magnitude 4.9, in 2018.
When was the last quake near Nicolosi?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Nicolosi 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)