Earthquakes in Cassaro
Mar Ionio Meridionale [Mare]
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 = 0.278 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Cassaro plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Cassaro
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Cassaro over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2016IV-V8 February 2016
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 16 km away
- 2004III-IV30 December 2004
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 35 km away
- 1997III-IV30 July 1997
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 19 km away
- 1997IV25 March 1997
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 68 km away
- 1990V16 December 1990
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 50 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 48 km away
- 1990IV29 October 1990
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 99 km away
- 1980IV23 January 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 25 km away
- 1964IV2 May 1964
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 14 km away
- 1959IV23 December 1959
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Piana di Catania earthquake (M5.1), epicentre 29 km away
- 1848V-VI11 January 1848
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Golfo di Catania earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 45 km away
- 1693X-XI11 January 1693
Catastrophic: very few buildings remain standing; landslides and ground cracks.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M7.3), epicentre 7 km away
…and 6 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 sits above this source area: the deep structure where this area's earthquakes can originate.
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?
Cassaro 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 Siracusa5 events · 30gSicily region126 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Cassaro?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Cassaro area: the latest nearby dates back to 3 days ago.
Is Cassaro a seismic area?
Cassaro 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 Cassaro?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Cassaro was magnitude 4.2, in 2016.
When was the last quake near Cassaro?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Cassaro was 6 days ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)