Earthquakes in Chiaramonte Gulfi
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?
The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
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 Chiaramonte Gulfi plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Chiaramonte Gulfi
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Chiaramonte Gulfi over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2004IV30 December 2004
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 20 km away
- 1997IV30 July 1997
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 21 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 76 km away
- 1980IV23 January 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 22 km away
- 1959V-VI23 December 1959
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Piana di Catania earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 42 km away
- 1949VI8 October 1949
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 16 km away
- 1937V6 March 1937
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 11 km away
- 1908V28 December 1908
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Stretto di Messina earthquake (M7.1), epicentre 153 km away
- 1897V28 May 1897
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ionio earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 342 km away
- 1895V-VI13 April 1895
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti Iblei ? earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 6 km away
- 1818VII-VIII1 March 1818
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 20 km away
- 1693X11 January 1693
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 35 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 8 km from Ragusa-Palagonia, 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?
Chiaramonte Gulfi 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 Ragusa3 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Chiaramonte Gulfi?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Chiaramonte Gulfi area: the latest nearby dates back to 6 days ago.
Is Chiaramonte Gulfi a seismic area?
Chiaramonte Gulfi is classified in seismic zone 1 by the Civil Protection. The most severe class: strong earthquakes are possible here and buildings follow the strictest anti-seismic rules.
What was the strongest earthquake near Chiaramonte Gulfi?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Chiaramonte Gulfi was magnitude 4.4, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Chiaramonte Gulfi?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Chiaramonte Gulfi was 21 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)