Earthquakes in Motta d'Affermo
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 = 0.180 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Motta d'Affermo plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Motta d'Affermo
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Motta d'Affermo over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2005IV3 November 2005
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Costa siciliana settetrionale earthquake (M3.3), epicentre 5 km away
- 1993IV26 June 1993
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Madonie ? earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 14 km away
- 1992IV-V6 April 1992
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 24 km away
- 1980V28 May 1980
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 55 km away
- 1978VI15 April 1978
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 81 km away
- 1977V5 June 1977
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 11 km away
- 1976V17 September 1976
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 16 km away
- 1967VII31 October 1967
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 17 km away
- 1908VI28 December 1908
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 122 km away
- 1908V15 August 1908
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 10 km away
- 1905V8 September 1905
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Calabria centrale earthquake (M7.0), epicentre 173 km away
- 1818VI-VII20 February 1818
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Catanese earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 85 km away
…and 12 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 44 km from Southern Tyrrhenian S, 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?
Motta d'Affermo 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 Messina73 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Motta d'Affermo?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Motta d'Affermo area: the latest nearby dates back to yesterday.
Is Motta d'Affermo a seismic area?
Motta d'Affermo 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 Motta d'Affermo?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Motta d'Affermo was magnitude 4.2, in 2026.
When was the last quake near Motta d'Affermo?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Motta d'Affermo was yesterday.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)