PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Italy

Italy has catalogued 609 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 42nd of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.2.

Italy ranks 42nd of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country, averaging about 29 M4+ events a year alongside 26 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1905 to 2026, peaking in 1976.

609
M4+ events (since 2005)
26
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.2
Strongest
~29
M4+ per year

The verdict

Italy is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 609 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 26 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.2.

1976
busiest year (3 major events)
56 km
average recorded event depth
85%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Kyrgyzstan sits immediately above at 625 events and Ethiopia sits immediately below at 574.

Where Italy sits in the catalog

Rank 42nd of 187 tracked countries (78th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Kyrgyzstan sits immediately above at 625 events and Ethiopia sits immediately below at 574.

Italy's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

609 Top 22% higher than 78% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). Above this entry. Italy 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Italy compares to its nearest peers

Italy ranks in the 78th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Italy vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 2004006008001,0001,200 M5.5M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Italy vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Ecuador 1,130 M7.8
Canada 1,026 M7.8
Iceland 982 M6.3
Bolivia 832 M6.8
Wallis and Futuna 807 M6.7
Costa Rica 717 M7.6
Panama 704 M6.7
Nepal 694 M7.8
Micronesia 672 M6.6
Kyrgyzstan 625 M6.7
Italy (this page) 609 M6.6
Ethiopia 574 M5.9
Venezuela 531 M7.5
Dominican Republic 489 M5.8
Svalbard and Jan Mayen 434 M6.8
Portugal 423 M6.3
Tanzania 368 M6.0
Yemen 338 M6.6
Somalia 332 M5.8
Australia 285 M6.6
Albania 273 M6.4

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Italy by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Italy's most active year for major earthquakes was 1976 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%1.1%
Share of Italy's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

7 of 609 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 26 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Italy.

How the 26 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 96.2%

M7.0-7.9

1

3.8%

M6.0-6.9

25

96.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 26 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 56 km.

Italy84.6%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Italy's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

22

84.6% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

2

7.7% of events

Deep (>300 km)

2

7.7% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Italy

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.2 5 km W of San Nicolò, Italy 15.0 km
6.9 2 km N of Cairano, Italy 10.0 km
6.7 4 km WNW of San Benedetto dei Marsi, Italy 15.0 km
6.6 3 km SSW of Bisaccia Nuova, Italy 15.0 km
6.6 5 km ESE of Preci, Italy 8.0 km
6.5 3 km SW of Prato, Italy 9.0 km
6.5 72 km WSW of Cittadella del Capo, Italy 260.0 km
6.3 2 km SW of Molazzana, Italy 15.0 km
6.3 3 km SE of Sassa, Italy 8.8 km
6.3 58 km SSE of San Lorenzo al Mare, Italy 15.0 km

Significant earthquake record (26 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Italy since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.2 23 km WSW of San Lucido, Italy 243.0 km
6.0 16 km SSE of Sant'Angelo, Italy 375.0 km
6.6 5 km ESE of Preci, Italy 8.0 km
6.1 2 km NNW of Visso, Italy 10.0 km
6.2 5 km WNW of Accumoli, Italy 4.4 km
6.0 4 km NNE of Massa Finalese, Italy 6.3 km
6.3 3 km SE of Sassa, Italy 8.8 km
6.0 34 km NNE of Santa Flavia, Italy 5.0 km
6.0 3 km SSE of Nocera Umbra, Italy 10.0 km
6.9 2 km N of Cairano, Italy 10.0 km
6.0 5 km NNE of Isola, Italy 10.0 km
6.1 1 km WNW of Lestans, Italy 24.0 km
6.5 3 km SW of Prato, Italy 9.0 km
6.1 3 km NE of Montevago, Italy 10.0 km
6.1 62 km SSE of San Lorenzo al Mare, Italy 15.0 km
6.3 58 km SSE of San Lorenzo al Mare, Italy 15.0 km
6.2 3 km SW of Montecalvo Irpino, Italy 20.0 km
6.6 3 km SSW of Bisaccia Nuova, Italy 15.0 km
6.3 2 km SW of Molazzana, Italy 15.0 km
6.2 1 km NNW of Vicchio, Italy 15.0 km
6.0 15 km NNE of Pesaro, Italy 10.0 km
6.0 19 km NNE of Gabicce Mare, Italy 15.0 km
6.0 25 km W of San Marco, Italy 320.0 km
6.7 4 km WNW of San Benedetto dei Marsi, Italy 15.0 km
6.5 72 km WSW of Cittadella del Capo, Italy 260.0 km
7.2 5 km W of San Nicolò, Italy 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Italy-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Wallis and Futuna

807 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Namibia

20 M4+ events · strongest M5.4

M5.4

Haiti

217 M4+ events · strongest M7.2

M7.2

Comoros

12 M4+ events · strongest M5.1

M5.1

Thailand

48 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Mozambique

59 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Italy-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Yemen

338 M4+ events

M6.6

Nicaragua

1,416 M4+ events

M6.6

Iceland

982 M4+ events

M6.3

Barbados

66 M4+ events

M6.5

Cuba

96 M4+ events

M6.8

Australia

285 M4+ events

M6.6

Understand the data

Kyrgyzstan

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Ethiopia

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Italy? ▼
The USGS catalog records 609 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Italy since 2005, an average of about 29 per year. Separately, 26 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Italy? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Italy measured magnitude 7.2. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Italy? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Italy ranks 42nd of 187 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1976, with 3.
How deep are earthquakes in Italy? ▼
Across the 26 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 56 km. 85% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Italy's figures

609 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.2 · average M4.4 · 26 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jun 15, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Italy's numbers mean

Italy ranks 42nd of 187 countries tracked - a moderately seismically active country.

  • About 29 M4+ earthquakes strike Italy per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1976 was the busiest year on record with 3 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 85% of Italy's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.2. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.