Earthquakes in Favignana
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 = 0.037 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
Why the ground rarely shakes here
Favignana sits in one of the most stable areas of Italy: far from the boundary between the Eurasian and African plates, on ancient, rigid crust that hardly accumulates tectonic stress any more.
That is why earthquakes here are rare and almost always weak: a small geological privilege.
The “area” is Favignana plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Favignana
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Favignana over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1998NF17 January 1998
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Golfo di Castellammare earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 61 km away
- 1995V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 24 km away
- 1995V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 24 km away · observed at Marettimo
- 1995V29 May 1995
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 24 km away · observed at Levanzo
- 1980IV28 May 1980
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.7), epicentre 181 km away · observed at Marettimo
- 1968VI-VII15 January 1968
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 63 km away
- 1940NF15 January 1940
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M5.3), epicentre 99 km away
- 1910II25 January 1910
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 100 km away
- 1897III-IV15 May 1897
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M4.5), epicentre 99 km away
- 1823VII-VIII27 March 1823
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 4 km away
- 1542NC10 December 1542
Very light: felt only by a few people at rest, on upper floors.
Sicilia sud-orientale earthquake (M6.7), epicentre 247 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 36 km from Southern Tyrrhenian, 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?
Favignana 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 Trapani1 events · 30gSicily region126 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Favignana?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Favignana area: the latest nearby dates back to 11 days ago.
Is Favignana a seismic area?
Favignana 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 Favignana?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Favignana was magnitude 4.1, in 2025.
When was the last quake near Favignana?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Favignana was 18 months ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)