Earthquakes in Portopalo di Capo Passero
Mar Ionio Meridionale [Mare]
Seismic activity in the surroundings
30 km radiusINGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~11 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 = 0.099 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Portopalo di Capo Passero plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Portopalo di Capo Passero
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Portopalo di Capo Passero over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2020III22 December 2020
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Ragusano earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 70 km away
- 2016NF8 February 2016
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 40 km away
- 2004NF5 May 2004
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 210 km away
- 1990VI16 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 72 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 75 km away
- 1990II-III29 October 1990
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 64 km away
- 1980III-IV23 January 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 38 km away
- 1897SD28 May 1897
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Ionio earthquake (M5.5), epicentre 301 km away · observed at Cozzo Spadaro [faro]
- 1897V-VI11 February 1897
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M5.0), epicentre 123 km away
- 1823NF5 March 1823
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Sicilia settentrionale earthquake (M5.8), epicentre 181 km away
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 37 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).
Area over time
Earthquake map
60 eventsEarthquakes in the area
Nearby towns
How does it compare with the surroundings?
Portopalo di Capo Passero 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 Siracusa5 events · 30gSicily region203 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Portopalo di Capo Passero?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Portopalo di Capo Passero area: the latest nearby dates back to 20 hours ago.
Is Portopalo di Capo Passero a seismic area?
Portopalo di Capo Passero 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 Portopalo di Capo Passero?
In the last ~11 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Portopalo di Capo Passero was magnitude 2.9, in 2022.
When was the last quake near Portopalo di Capo Passero?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Portopalo di Capo Passero was 2 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)