Earthquakes in Valverde
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 Valverde plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Valverde
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Valverde over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2018IV-V26 December 2018
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Fleri earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 7 km away
- 2005IV31 October 2005
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Etna - Trecastagni earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 6 km away
- 2001IV9 January 2001
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Etna - Zafferana Etnea earthquake (M3.7), epicentre 14 km away
- 1997IV11 November 1997
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Etna - S. Maria la Stella (Aci S. Antonio) earthquake (M3.4), epicentre 7 km away
- 1997IV11 November 1997
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Etna - S. Maria la Stella (Aci S. Antonio) earthquake (M3.0), epicentre 7 km away
- 1990VI13 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 41 km away
- 1984IV7 November 1984
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Etna - Pedara earthquake (M3.7), epicentre 7 km away · observed at Maugeri
- 1983V20 July 1983
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Viagrande earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 4 km away
- 1931IV-V3 August 1931
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Fiandaca (Acireale) earthquake (M3.5), epicentre 6 km away
- 1914V8 May 1914
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 9 km away
- 1818VIII-IX20 February 1818
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 3 km away
- 1693X-XI11 January 1693
Catastrophic: very few buildings remain standing; landslides and ground cracks.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 50 km away
…and 22 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?
Valverde is among the quietest towns of its province: very few epicentres are recorded here.
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 Valverde?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Valverde area: the latest nearby dates back to 5 days ago.
Is Valverde a seismic area?
Valverde 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 Valverde?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Valverde was magnitude 4.9, in 2018.
When was the last quake near Valverde?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Valverde 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)