Earthquakes in Zafferana Etnea
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 Zafferana Etnea plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Zafferana Etnea
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Zafferana Etnea over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2018VIII26 December 2018
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Fleri earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 7 km away · observed at Fleri
- 2018VIII26 December 2018
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Fleri earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 7 km away · observed at Malopasso
- 2018VIII26 December 2018
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Fleri earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 7 km away · observed at San Giovannello
- 1984VIII25 October 1984
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Fleri (Zafferana E.) earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 5 km away · observed at Fleri
- 1984VIII25 October 1984
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Fleri (Zafferana E.) earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 5 km away · observed at Contrada Gavotta
- 1914IX8 May 1914
Destructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Passopomo
- 1914VIII8 May 1914
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Rocca d'Api
- 1914VIII8 May 1914
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Linera (S. Venerina) earthquake (M5.2), epicentre 8 km away · observed at Civita
- 1908VIII28 December 1908
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 73 km away
- 1894VIII8 August 1894
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Mazzasette (Acireale) earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Fleri
- 1894VIII8 August 1894
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Mazzasette (Acireale) earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Scacchieri
- 1894VIII8 August 1894
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Etna - Mazzasette (Acireale) earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 6 km away · observed at Pisano
…and 460 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 8 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?
Zafferana Etnea 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 Zafferana Etnea?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Zafferana Etnea area: the latest nearby dates back to 5 days ago.
Is Zafferana Etnea a seismic area?
Zafferana Etnea 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 Zafferana Etnea?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Zafferana Etnea was magnitude 4.9, in 2018.
When was the last quake near Zafferana Etnea?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Zafferana Etnea 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)