Earthquakes in Paternò
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 = 0.172 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Paternò plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Paternò
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Paternò over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2018V6 October 2018
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Versante sud-occidentale earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 11 km away
- 2006V20 May 2006
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Versante sud-occidentale earthquake (M3.9), epicentre 15 km away
- 2001IV-V13 July 2001
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Versante meridionale earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 19 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 57 km away
- 1986IV-V11 January 1986
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Versante sud-occidentale earthquake (M3.9), epicentre 11 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 100 km away
- 1905V8 September 1905
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 174 km away
- 1898VI14 May 1898
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Etna - S. Maria Licodia earthquake (M4.0), epicentre 9 km away
- 1894V16 November 1894
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Calabria meridionale earthquake (M6.1), epicentre 122 km away
- 1818VII-VIII20 February 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 27 km away
- 1693VIII-IX11 January 1693
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 46 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 47 km away
…and 55 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?
Paternò is quieter than the average of its province.
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 Paternò?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Paternò area: the latest nearby dates back to 24 days ago.
Is Paternò a seismic area?
Paternò 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 Paternò?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Paternò was magnitude 4.9, in 2018.
When was the last quake near Paternò?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Paternò 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)