Earthquakes in Polizzi Generosa
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 = 0.126 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Polizzi Generosa plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Polizzi Generosa
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Polizzi Generosa over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2002IV-V6 September 2002
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.9), epicentre 71 km away
- 2001IV-V25 November 2001
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Madonie earthquake (M4.7), epicentre 8 km away
- 1994IV-V6 May 1994
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sicilia centrale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 24 km away
- 1977IV5 June 1977
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 36 km away
- 1976V17 September 1976
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 29 km away
- 1968VI15 January 1968
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 87 km away
- 1934IV11 September 1934
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Sicilia centro-settentrionale earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 65 km away
- 1925IV8 March 1925
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Nebrodi earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 36 km away
- 1906IV22 April 1906
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Madonie ? earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 27 km away
- 1823V5 March 1823
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Sicilia settentrionale earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 57 km away
- 1819VI24 February 1819
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti Madonie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 20 km away
- 1818VII-VIII8 September 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Monti Madonie earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 11 km away
…and 16 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 58 km from Monte Magaggiaro-Pizzo Telegrafo, 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?
Polizzi Generosa 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 Palermo13 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Polizzi Generosa?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Polizzi Generosa area: the latest nearby dates back to 22 hours ago.
Is Polizzi Generosa a seismic area?
Polizzi Generosa 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 Polizzi Generosa?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Polizzi Generosa was magnitude 3.8, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Polizzi Generosa?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Polizzi Generosa was 22 hours ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)