Earthquakes in Erice
Tirreno 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?
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 = 0.056 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Erice plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Erice
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Erice over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2004NF5 May 2004
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isole Eolie earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 201 km away
- 1998NF17 January 1998
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Golfo di Castellammare earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 41 km away
- 1995V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 40 km away · observed at Napola
- 1995V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 40 km away
- 1995IV-V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 40 km away · observed at Ballata
- 1981II7 June 1981
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Mazara del Vallo earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 41 km away
- 1978III19 January 1978
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Stretto di Sicilia earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 106 km away
- 1968VI15 January 1968
Strong: felt by everyone, many get scared; objects fall, first light damage to buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 47 km away
- 1910NF17 February 1910
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Isola di Ustica earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 92 km away
- 1910NF25 January 1910
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 75 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 33 km from Southern Tyrrhenian S, 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?
Erice is about average for its province in recorded quakes.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Trapani1 events · 30gSicily region127 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Erice?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Erice area: the latest nearby dates back to 11 days ago.
Is Erice a seismic area?
Erice 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 Erice?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Erice was magnitude 4.1, in 2024.
When was the last quake near Erice?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Erice 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)