The strongest earthquakes ever in Apulia from 1000 to 2020

Historical series of the strongest earthquakes ever in Apulia

This page shows the strongest earthquakes ever with epicenter in Apulia, from 1000 up to present times (year 2020 included). The information refers to a database of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. In particular, it is the following work: Rovida A., Locati M., Camassi R., Lolli, B., Gasperini P., Antonucci A. 2022. Parametric Catalog of Italian Earthquakes (CPTI15), version 4.0. National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), https://doi.org/10.13127/CPTI/CPTI15.4.4

Only seismic events with a magnitude ≥ 3.5 were selected from the database.

Below the map there is also a table, indicating the date, the denomination of the area of maximum effects and the moment magnitude. Together with the events with an epicenter in Apulia, those earthquakes not far from the regional borders have also sometimes been included.

Data from INGV, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, ingv.it

What was the strongest earthquake ever in Apulia?

The strongest earthquake ever with its epicenter in Apulia was recorded on May 31, 1646 with a magnitude equal to 6.72 (area/city: Gargano).

Symbols used for earthquake epicenters in Apulia

The color of the icons indicates the magnitude.  Yellow: 3.5≤M<4 .  Orange: 4≤M<5 .  Red: 5≤M<6 .  Purple: 6≤M<7 . Black: M≥7 .
Click on the icon to view the details of the seismic event. Below the epicenter map there is a table with a list of the events.


In the database there are 111 earthquakes, 5 of them with 3.5≤Mw<4 (4.5%), 77 with 4≤Mw<5 (69.4%), 23 with 5≤Mw<6 (20.7%), 6 with 6≤Mw<7 (5.4%), 0 with Mw≥7 (0.0%).

More link:
Strongest earthquakes, Italian regions

Strongest earthquakes ever with epicenter in Italy
Strongest earthquakes ever with epicenter in Italy and magnitude ≥5
Strongest earthquakes ever with epicenter in Italy and magnitude ≥6
Strongest earthquakes ever with epicenter in Italy and magnitude ≥7


Tables of the earthquakes since 1000 a.d. with epicenters in Apulia

By clicking on the header of each column it is possible to sort the events as you like (for example, in chronological order). By default they are sorted by decreasing magnitude.


# Data Evento Area Epicentro Magnitudo
1 May 31, 1646Gargano6.72
2 February 20, 1743Ionio settentrionale6.68
3 July 30, 1627Capitanata6.66
4 March 20, 1731Tavoliere delle puglie6.33
5 July 17, 1361Subappennino dauno6.03
6 August 7, 1627Capitanata6.03
7 January 29, 1657Capitanata5.96
8 December 6, 1875Gargano5.86
9 1414 (exact date unknown)Gargano5.8
10 July 30, 1627Capitanata5.8
11 September 6, 1627Capitanata5.8
12 May 5, 1647Gargano5.69
13 May 11, 1560Costa pugliese centrale5.66
14 August 18, 1948Gargano5.55
15 December 8, 1889Gargano5.47
16 August 21, 1948Gargano5.4
17 August 10, 1893Gargano5.39
18 August 22, 1948Gargano5.37
19 July 23, 1688Capitanata5.33
20 June 7, 1720Tavoliere delle puglie5.22
21 October 26, 1826Salento5.22
22 January 16, 1951Gargano5.22
23 March 18, 1955Gargano5.22
24 February 21, 1841Gargano5.17
25 September 30, 1995Gargano5.15
26 February 9, 1955Gargano5.05
27 October 21, 1919Gargano5.03
28 April 20, 1892Gargano5.02
29 June 19, 1975Gargano5.02
30 July 17, 1937Tavoliere delle puglie4.96
31 September 23, 2001Golfo di taranto4.96
32 August 25, 1925Gargano4.92
33 March 25, 1894Gargano4.9
34 June 6, 1892Isole tremiti4.88
35 September 10, 1087Bari4.86
36 September 21, 1689Costa pugliese centrale4.86
37 October 17, 1731Tavoliere delle puglie4.86
38 November 15, 1783Tavoliere delle puglie4.86
39 May 6, 1971Irpinia4.83
40 April 8, 1904Gargano4.75
41 November 23, 1980Irpinia-basilicata4.73
42 October 26, 1954Gargano4.72
43 February 29, 1972Gargano4.71
44 September 22, 1956Gargano4.64
45 May 29, 2006Gargano4.64
46 December 28, 1864Gargano4.63
47 April 17, 1896Gargano4.63
48 August 18, 1905Tavoliere delle puglie4.61
49 October 6, 1989Isole tremiti4.61
50 December 3, 1931Tavoliere delle puglie4.59
51 December 15, 1937Tavoliere delle puglie4.58
52 August 16, 1899Subappennino dauno4.57
53 May 9, 1971Irpinia4.57
54 July 2, 1912Tavoliere delle puglie4.55
55 July 19, 1953Gargano4.55
56 March 30, 1932Bassa murgia4.54
57 January 20, 1909Salento4.51
58 June 17, 1967Gargano4.46
59 November 23, 1980Irpinia-basilicata4.46
60 February 1, 1990Isole tremiti4.43
61 January 19, 1962Gargano4.42
62 November 6, 1930Alta murgia4.41
63 July 12, 1628Capitanata4.4
64 January 3, 1713Bassa murgia4.4
65 May 10, 1731Costa pugliese centrale4.4
66 February 12, 1739Tavoliere delle puglie4.4
67 October 22, 1756Golfo di manfredonia4.4
68 May 12, 1856Barese4.4
69 March 31, 1869Gargano4.4
70 December 27, 1927Deliceto4.4
71 August 17, 1956Gargano4.4
72 December 23, 1900Gargano4.37
73 December 9, 1970Canale d'otranto4.36
74 May 24, 1858Tavoliere delle puglie4.35
75 November 10, 1996Tavoliere delle puglie4.35
76 January 21, 1970Gargano4.34
77 March 11, 1989Gargano4.34
78 November 5, 1992Gargano4.34
79 September 22, 1998Gargano4.32
80 December 9, 1852Gargano4.31
81 October 5, 1989Isole tremiti4.31
82 September 17, 2010Tavoliere delle puglie4.29
83 November 23, 1980Tavoliere delle puglie4.28
84 July 6, 1966Alta murgia4.26
85 July 2, 2001Tavoliere delle puglie4.26
86 August 30, 2000Isole tremiti4.23
87 July 28, 1925Tavoliere delle puglie4.2
88 February 13, 1990Isole tremiti4.2
89 March 19, 2008Gargano4.18
90 October 17, 1656Gargano4.16
91 September 26, 1691Tavoliere delle puglie4.16
92 December 13, 1710Salento4.16
93 November 2, 1850Gargano4.16
94 August 1, 1871Gargano4.16
95 January 8, 1908Isole tremiti4.16
96 July 12, 1955Gargano4.16
97 August 24, 1988Isole tremiti4.11
98 October 27, 1985Gargano4.1
99 August 22, 1989Isole tremiti4.08
100 July 7, 1998Golfo di taranto4.08
101 August 12, 2012Gargano4.07
102 June 1, 1996Bassa murgia4.06
103 April 23, 2017Gargano4.06
104 April 16, 2015Gargano4.05
105 January 7, 1994Golfo di taranto4.03
106 September 30, 1983Gargano4.02
107 October 5, 1995Gargano3.95
108 July 3, 1829Gargano3.93
109 September 16, 1908Gargano3.72
110 April 5, 1864Gargano3.7
111 February 28, 1996Gargano3.68