Earthquakes in Montalbano Elicona
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 = 0.201 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Montalbano Elicona plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Montalbano Elicona
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Montalbano Elicona over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2010V16 August 2010
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 42 km away
- 1999V14 February 1999
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 25 km away
- 1999V14 February 1999
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 25 km away · observed at Santa Maria
- 1978VII15 April 1978
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 43 km away
- 1936V8 October 1936
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Patti earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 19 km away
- 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 60 km away
- 1908VII10 December 1908
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti Peloritani earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 7 km away
- 1905V-VI8 September 1905
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 124 km away
- 1893VI-VII22 April 1893
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 0 km away
- 1818VII20 February 1818
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 45 km away
- 1780VII14 September 1780
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 10 km away
- 1693VII11 January 1693
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 96 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 lies about 11 km from Patti-Giardini, 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?
Montalbano Elicona 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 Messina73 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Montalbano Elicona?
Yes: today the Montalbano Elicona area (town and surroundings) recorded 1 quakes; the most recent 10 hours ago.
Is Montalbano Elicona a seismic area?
Montalbano Elicona 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 Montalbano Elicona?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Montalbano Elicona was magnitude 4.1, in 2019.
When was the last quake near Montalbano Elicona?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Montalbano Elicona was 10 hours ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)