Earthquakes in Priolo Gargallo
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?
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 = 0.250 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Priolo Gargallo plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Priolo Gargallo
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Priolo Gargallo over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2016IV8 February 2016
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 34 km away
- 2011NF9 October 2011
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M3.5), epicentre 20 km away
- 2005NF21 November 2005
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Sicilia centrale earthquake (M4.6), epicentre 108 km away
- 2004NF30 December 2004
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Monti Iblei earthquake (M3.8), epicentre 54 km away
- 2004III5 May 2004
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 160 km away
- 2001III26 May 2001
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 103 km away
- 1997IV-V25 March 1997
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 46 km away
- 1990V-VI16 December 1990
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Ionio meridionale earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 28 km away
- 1990VI-VII13 December 1990
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M5.6), epicentre 28 km away
- 1990III29 October 1990
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 111 km away
- 1978IV15 April 1978
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Golfo di Patti earthquake (M6.0), epicentre 138 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 32 km away
…and 2 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 3 km from Monte Lauro, 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?
Priolo Gargallo 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 region202 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Priolo Gargallo?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Priolo Gargallo area: the latest nearby dates back to 20 hours ago.
Is Priolo Gargallo a seismic area?
Priolo Gargallo 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 Priolo Gargallo?
In the last ~11 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Priolo Gargallo was magnitude 3.3, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Priolo Gargallo?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Priolo Gargallo 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)