Earthquakes in Saint-Nicolas
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?
Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
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 = 0.104 g (10% probability of exceedance in 50 years, rigid soil).
The “area” is Saint-Nicolas plus nearby towns.
The seismic history of Saint-Nicolas
The earthquakes that were actually felt in Saint-Nicolas over the centuries, with the intensity observed on site (Mercalli MCS scale).
- 2005NF8 September 2005
Imperceptible: only instruments record it.
Massif du Mont-Blanc earthquake (M4.4), epicentre 41 km away · observed at Saint-Nicolas (Fossaz)
- 1996III-IV31 March 1996
Moderate: felt by many indoors; glasses and dishes rattle.
Valle d'Aosta earthquake (M4.2), epicentre 33 km away · observed at Saint-Nicolas (Fossaz)
- 1887III23 February 1887
Light: felt by few people, like a passing truck.
Liguria occidentale earthquake (M6.3), epicentre 215 km away · observed at Saint-Nicolas (Fossaz)
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 25 km from Chamonix, 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?
Saint-Nicolas records more quakes than the average of its province.
Each quake is attributed to the town closest to its epicentre: the numbers describe the area, not the municipal territory alone.
Context
Province of Aosta3 events · 30gAosta Valley region3 events · 30gFrequently asked questions
Were there earthquakes today in Saint-Nicolas?
No, no quakes were recorded today in the Saint-Nicolas area: the latest nearby dates back to 19 days ago.
Is Saint-Nicolas a seismic area?
Saint-Nicolas is classified in seismic zone 3 by the Civil Protection. Medium-low seismicity: strong quakes are rare, but not impossible.
What was the strongest earthquake near Saint-Nicolas?
In the last ~12 years of INGV data, the strongest within 30 km of Saint-Nicolas was magnitude 3.4, in 2026.
When was the last quake near Saint-Nicolas?
The last quake recorded within 30 km of Saint-Nicolas was 1 month ago.
Tip. Click a nearby town to explore its seismicity.
Data: INGV — National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (CC-BY 4.0)