Province of Siracusa

Earthquakes today in Portopalo di Capo Passero

Today, within 30 km: no earthquakes recorded (updated at 18:51). Latest: M1.9 on 8 April 2026 at 05:02, 21 km South-East of Portopalo di Capo Passero, 5 km deep.

1.9
very light

Latest earthquake within 30 km

21 km South-East of Portopalo di Capo Passero

6 months ago · 8 Apr 2026, 05:02
Depth 5 km

Seismic activity within 30 km

30 km radius
188
days since the last quake within 30 km
106
quakes recorded since 2015
~41 days
on average, one quake every
2.9
The strongest within 30 km
4 km North-West of Noto
3 years ago · 9 Dec 2022, 04:46

INGV catalogue epicentres of the last ~12 years, within the given radius from the town centre.

How seismic is Portopalo di Capo Passero: zone 2

Zone2
Seismic zone 2

A zone where strong earthquakes are possible: new buildings follow strict anti-seismic criteria.

Official Civil Protection classification (upd. 2025), used for building codes.

Low
Expected shaking, compared with the other Italian municipalities (INGV MPS04 model)

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).

Closest earthquake
Earthquake details
131
In the town
total on record
11
In the town
last 12 months
5
Within 30 km
last 12 months
M2.9
Strongest since 2015
Within 30 km

“Within 30 km”: epicentres less than 30 km from the centre of Portopalo di Capo Passero. “In the town”: quakes whose nearest town to the epicentre is Portopalo di Capo Passero.

Latest earthquake attributed to Portopalo di Capo Passero: 5 September 2026 · 3,749 inhabitants

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).

  1. 2020III22 December 2020

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Ragusano earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 70 km away

  2. 2016NF8 February 2016

    Imperceptible: only instruments record it.

    Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 40 km away

  3. 2004NF5 May 2004

    Imperceptible: only instruments record it.

    Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 210 km away

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 1990II-III29 October 1990

    Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.

    Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 64 km away

  7. 1980III-IV23 January 1980

    Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.

    Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 38 km away

  8. 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]

  9. 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

  10. 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.

11255.8
Siracusa earthquake
7 June 1125 · 46 km from here
VIII-IXDestructive: many buildings partly or fully collapse.
19495.1
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake
8 October 1949 · 47 km from here
VIIVery strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
17274.6
Val di Noto earthquake
7 January 1727 · 27 km from here
VII-VIIIRuinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
16934.6
Modica earthquake
23 February 1693 · 38 km from here
VIStrong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.

Source: Parametric Catalogue of Italian Earthquakes CPTI15 (INGV, CC BY 4.0).

The closest seismic structure

Scicli-Giarratana

The town lies about 37 km from Scicli-Giarratana, one of the seismic structures mapped by INGV geologists.

estimated maximum magnitude 7.0between 1 and 23 km deep

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

April 20261eventmax 1.9
Jan '25
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan '26
Apr
Jul
Oct

Earthquake map within 30 km

60 events
Magnitude:lightweakmoderatestrong

Latest earthquakes within 30 km

1.9
6 months ago
8 Apr 2026, 05:02
2.5
4 km West of Noto
21 km North-West · 24 km
8 months ago
6 Feb 2026, 18:14
1.7
4 km North of Pozzallo
27 km West · 26 km
9 months ago
13 Jan 2026, 15:34
1.6
11 months ago
16 Nov 2025, 17:11
1.5
10 km North of Pozzallo
27 km North-West · 26 km
1 year ago
25 Oct 2025, 22:25
2.3
4 km South-East of Rosolini
26 km North-West · 24 km
1 year ago
26 Sept 2025, 16:33
1.7
11 km South-East of Avola
23 km North-East · 28 km
1 year ago
10 Aug 2025, 16:25
1.0
7 km South-West of Noto
16 km North-West · 27 km
1 year ago
20 Jul 2025, 04:15
1.4
7 km North-West of Noto
26 km North-West · 23 km
1 year ago
8 Jul 2025, 00:42
1.4
5 km North-West of Noto
24 km North-West · 21 km
1 year ago
5 Jul 2025, 20:49

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.

quietermore active
More epicentres than 85% of the 21 towns in the province.
Portopalo di Capo Passero131
Nearby towns average64

Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.

Context

Province of Siracusa7 events · last 30 daysSicily region175 events · last 30 days
ISTAT code: 089020

Frequently asked questions

Were there earthquakes near Portopalo di Capo Passero today?

No, no quakes were recorded today within 30 km of Portopalo di Capo Passero. The latest dates back to 8 April 2026.

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 INGV catalogue since 2015, the strongest earthquake within 30 km of Portopalo di Capo Passero was magnitude 2.9, on 9 December 2022.

When was the last quake near Portopalo di Capo Passero?

The last quake recorded within 30 km of Portopalo di Capo Passero dates back to 8 April 2026, magnitude 1.9.

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)