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Volcanoes of Italy (52)

Italy is a volcanically very active country, containing the only recently active volcanoes in mainland Europe. The country's volcanism is related to complex tectonic interactions along the boundary between the Eurasian and the African tectonic plates.
Three main clusters of volcanism exist: a line of volcanic centers running northwest along the central part of the Italian mainland (including the Campanian volcanic arc to which Vesuvius and the Campi Flegrei belong); a cluster in the northeast of Sicily (Etna and the Eolian Islands); and another cluster around the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria.

Eolian Islands (7 volcanoes)

Alicudi | Filicudi | Lipari | Panarea | Salina | Stromboli | Vulcano
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Significant volcanic eruptions: Italy

In historic times, at least 8 volcanoes have been active in Italy, including Etna, Stromboli, and Vesuvius volcanoes. A total of 289 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since around 1500 BC.
The table below lists the most recent volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events in Italy since around 2000.
DateVolcanoVEIRegionDeathsDamage
1934 Feb 2 - ongoingStromboli
Summit craters and Sciara del Fuoco
2Eolian Islands, Italy
2022 Nov 27 - ongoingEtna
Summit activity (mostly: Southeast crater complex; intermittent activity at Voragine and NE craters, sub-terminal effusive flank vents)
2Sicily, Italy
2022 Dec 4
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy
Info
2022 Oct 9
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy
Info
2013 Sep 3 - 2022 Jun 17Etna
New Southeast Crater (NSEC)
3Sicily, Italy
2021 May 19
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy
2019 Aug 28
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy
Info
2019 Jul 3
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy1
Info
2018 Dec 26
(eruption 2013 Sep 3 - 2022 Jun 17)
Etna2Sicily, Italy
very heavy
Info
2017 Mar 15
(eruption 2013 Sep 3 - 2022 Jun 17)
Etna0Sicily, Italy
Info
2010 Aug 25 - 2013 Apr 27Etna
Bocca Nuova (BN)
3Sicily, Italy
2010 Apr 8Etna
SEC (South-East Crater)
1Sicily, Italy
2008 May 13 - 2009 Jul 4Etna
East base of NE Crater (3000-2650 m)
1Sicily, Italy
2007 Mar 19 - 2009 Jul 4Etna
Bocca Nuova, SE Crater and flank vents
2Sicily, Italy
2006 Jul 14 - Dec 15Etna
SE Crater & flank vents; NE Crater
2Sicily, Italy
2005 Dec 16 - Dec 22Etna
Bocca Nuova
1Sicily, Italy
2004 Sep 7 - 2005 Mar 8Etna
SE Crater, SE flank (3000-2320 m)
1Sicily, Italy
2004 Feb 12 - Feb 14Etna
Central Crater
1?Sicily, Italy
2003 Mar 8 ±3 d. - Nov 9Etna
NE Crater
1Sicily, Italy
2001 Dec 16 ±15 d. - 2003 Nov 9Etna
Central Crater, NE Crater
1Sicily, Italy
2002 Oct 26 - 2003 Jan 28Etna
NE Rift (3100-1900 m), S flank (2850-2600 m)
3Sicily, Italy
2002 Dec 30
(eruptive episode 2002 Dec 28 - Dec 30)
Stromboli0Eolian Islands, Italy
light
Info
2002 Oct 28
(eruption 2002 Oct 26 - 2003 Jan 28)
Etna3Sicily, Italy
moderate
Info
2001 Oct 20
(eruption 1934 Feb 2 - ongoing)
Stromboli2Eolian Islands, Italy1
Info
2001 Jul 17 - Aug 9Etna
S to NE flanks (3100-2100 m)
2Sicily, Italy
1994 Jun 17 - 2001 Aug 9Etna
Central Crater, NE Crater, SE Crater
3Sicily, Italy
2001 Jul 26
(eruption 2001 Jul 17 - Aug 9)
Etna2Sicily, Italy
light
Info
2001 May 14
(eruption 1994 Jun 17 - 2001 Aug 9)
Etna3Sicily, Italy1
light
Info
Remark:
Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Italy FAQ

+When was the last volcanic eruption in Italy?

+When was the first documented volcanic eruption in Italy?

+How often do volcanoes in Italy erupt?

+How active are the volcanoes in Italy?

+When was the largest volcanic eruption in Italy?

Latest earthquakes: Italy

In the past 7 days, Italy has had 3 quakes of magnitude 3.0 or above and 18 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0. There were also 456 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel.
A Magnitude 2.1 earthquake occurred in Aosta Valley, Italy .
Date and TimeMag / DepthNearest Volcano / Location
Apr 28, 08:40 pm (GMT +1)
2.9

10 km
291 km (181 mi) E ofIonian Sea, 136 km southeast of Crotone, Provincia di Crotone, Calabria, ItalyI FELT IT Info
Apr 28, 08:39 pm (GMT +1)
3.6

169 km
37 km (23 mi) SE ofTirreno Meridionale (MARE)  I FELT IT Info
Apr 28, 12:06 pm (GMT +2)
3.8

10 km
365 km (227 mi) NE ofAlbania  I FELT IT - 1 reportInfo
Sunday, April 27, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Apr 27, 05:21 pm (GMT +1)
3.4

5 km
121 km (75 mi) SW ofTyrrhenian Sea, 41 km north of Palermo, Palermo, Sicily, ItalyI FELT IT Info
Friday, April 25, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Apr 25, 04:59 pm (GMT +1)
2.9

12 km
180 km (112 mi) SE ofCentral Mediterranean Sea  I FELT IT Info
Apr 25, 01:10 pm (Rome)
2.7

10 km
180 km (112 mi) N ofCentral Italy  I FELT IT - 1 reportInfo

Significant Earthquakes in Italy since 1900


The deadliest earthquake in Italy since 1900 was the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in  Italy, Sicily on Dec, 28, 1908. It resulted in 80,000 fatalities and an unknown number of injured people. Most casualties and damage resulted from the tsunami that followed the quake. The height of the tsunami waves reached 13 m (43 ft). This was the 19th deadliest quake known in history and the most disastrous quake in Italy ever recorded.
An unknown number houses and other buildings were destroyed and an unknown number damaged.

DateMagRegionDeathsDamage
2017 Jan 185.7 Farindola34
heavy
Info
2016 Aug 246.2 Accumoli, Arquata, Amatrice299
catastrophic
Info
2009 Apr 66.3 L'Aquila309
catastrophic
Info
2002 Oct 315.7 San Guiliano Di Puglia, Campobasso30
very heavy
Info
1980 Nov 236.9 Avellino, Potenza, Caserta, Naples4,689
catastrophic
Info
1976 May 66.5 Ne, Balkans Nw Slovenia Nw978
catastrophic
Info
1971 Feb 64.6 Tuscania24
heavy
Info
1968 Jan 156.0 Sicily216
very heavy
Info
1930 Jul 236.5 Irpinia1,430
heavy
Info
1928 Mar 76.0 Sicily, Calabria50-100 (*)
moderate
Info
1920 Sep 75.8 Carrara, Garfagnana1,400
unknown
Info
1915 Jan 137.5 Marsica, Avezzano, Abruzzi29,978
heavy
Info
1914 May 84.9 Catania, Etna120
heavy
Info
1908 Dec 287.0 Messina, Sicily, Calabria80,000
very heavy
Info
1907 Oct 235.9 Ferruzano158
moderate
Info
1905 Sep 87.1 Monteleone, Tropea, Monte Poro557
very heavy
Info
(*) Estimated numbers
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

Map

Oldest quakes (until 1960) are shown in yellow, most recent (from 2000) in red.
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Significant Earthquakes in Italy FAQ

+Which was the deadliest earthquake in Italy since 1900?

+Which was the earthquake that caused most damage in Italy since 1900?

+How many people were killed by earthquakes in Italy since 1900?

+How much damage did earthquakes cause in Italy since 1900?

Recommended website

A jewel on the internet - the most comprehensive and informative website about Italy's volcanoes (and beyond), Dr. Boris Behcke's Italy's Volcanoes - www.italysvolcanoes.com
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Etna volcano update: two lava flows from SE Crater's cone

Strombolian activity and the lava flow from the SE Crater last night (image: Boris Behncke)
A new eruptive episode of strombolian activity occurred at the Southeast Crater last night. Read all

Volcanoes of Italy

Map of Italy's volcanoes (basemap created using UNAVCO Voyager map tool feat. Face of the Earth TM)
Map of Italy's volcanoes (basemap created using UNAVCO Voyager map tool feat. Face of the Earth TM)
Stromboli volcano in eruption
Stromboli volcano in eruption
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