Earthquakes today in Modica
Today, within 30 km: no earthquakes recorded (updated at 11:37). Latest: M1.6 on 29 September 2026 at 19:52, 7 km North-West of Modica, 19 km deep.
Seismic activity within 30 km
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.
How seismic is Modica: zone 1
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 = 0.229 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
“Within 30 km”: epicentres less than 30 km from the centre of Modica. “In the town”: quakes whose nearest town to the epicentre is Modica.
The seismic history of Modica
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Modica over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2016V-VI8 February 2016
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 7 km away · observed at Case Montesano
- 1990VI13 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 68 km away
- 1949VII8 October 1949
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 14 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 156 km away
- 1696VI-VII20 April 1696
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 10 km away
- 1693VI8 July 1693
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 40 km away
- 1693VII12 May 1693
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Modica earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 10 km away
- 1693VI17 April 1693
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 10 km away
- 1693VI23 February 1693
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Modica earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 10 km away
- 1693X11 January 1693
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 29 km away
- 1542VIII10 December 1542
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 35 km away
- 1169X4 February 1169
Completely destructive: most buildings are destroyed.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M6.5), epicentre 35 km away
…and 34 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 6 km from Scicli-Giarratana, 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).
Over time within 30 km
Earthquake map within 30 km
60 eventsLatest earthquakes within 30 km
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Modica 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 Ragusa17 events · last 30 daysSicily region176 events · last 30 daysFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes near Modica today?
No, no quakes were recorded today within 30 km of Modica. The latest dates back to 29 September 2026.
Is Modica a seismic area?
Modica 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 Modica?
In the INGV catalogue since 2015, the strongest earthquake within 30 km of Modica was magnitude 4.2, on 8 February 2016.
When was the last quake near Modica?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Modica dates back to 29 September 2026, magnitude 1.6.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Sources:INGV earthquake catalogueDBMI15 macroseismic historyCivil Protection seismic classification
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)