Earthquakes in Vita
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 = 0.101 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Vita plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Vita
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Vita over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 1999NF30 December 1999
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Tirreno meridionale earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 91 km away
- 1998NF17 January 1998
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Golfo di Castellammare earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 58 km away
- 1995III-IV29 May 1995
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Isole Egadi earthquake (M4.8), epicentre 67 km away
- 1981IV7 June 1981
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Mazara del Vallo earthquake (M4.9), epicentre 38 km away
- 1976V12 October 1976
Rather strong: felt by almost everyone; hanging objects swing.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 7 km away
- 1972F27 December 1972
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M4.3), epicentre 19 km away
- 1968VII25 January 1968
Very strong: hard to stand; chimneys and roof tiles fall, serious damage to weaker buildings.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M5.4), epicentre 26 km away
- 1968VIII15 January 1968
Ruinous: partial collapses in ordinary buildings, widespread heavy damage.
Valle del Belice earthquake (M6.4), epicentre 18 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 11 km from Mazara-Belice, 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?
Vita 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 Vita?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Vita area: the latest nearby dates back to 2 months ago.
Is Vita a seismic area?
Vita 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 Vita?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Vita was magnitude 3.5, in 2020.
When was the last quake near Vita?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Vita 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)