Italy earthquakes

M4.5 earthquake 5 km ESE of Cairano, Italy

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck 5 km ESE of Cairano, Italy on Thu, Jan 15, 1981, 12:12 PM GMT+1 (11:12 UTC), 10 km (6 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.3 southern Italy. This one was a foreshock.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
4.5 (mb), light
Local time
UTC
1981-01-15 11:12:42 UTC
Depth
10.0 km (6.2 mi), shallow
Epicenter
40.881° N, 15.427° E
Region
Italy
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Depth from
OPERATOR_ASSIGNED
Stations used
44

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 12 in the 60 days after this one and 3 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 5.3southern Italy · 16685 days ago · 15 km deep · 9 km away
  2. 4.32 km NNE of Pescopagano, Italy · 16685 days ago · 10 km deep · 3 km away
  3. 4.14 km NW of Bisaccia Nuova, Italy · 16685 days ago · 10 km deep · 20 km away
  4. 4.02 km W of Muro Lucano, Italy · 16684 days ago · 10 km deep · 14 km away
  5. 4.05 km NNE of San Gregorio Magno, Italy · 16681 days ago · 10 km deep · 20 km away
  6. 3.85 km N of Aquilonia, Italy · 16679 days ago · 10 km deep · 17 km away
  7. 3.511 km N of Cerignola, Italy · 16670 days ago · 10 km deep · 67 km away
  8. 3.24 km N of Lavello, Italy · 16667 days ago · 10 km deep · 38 km away
  9. 3.35 km SSW of Lioni, Italy · 16659 days ago · 10 km deep · 24 km away
  10. 4.62 km NNE of Rotondi, Italy · 16656 days ago · 10 km deep · 72 km away
  11. 3.42 km E of Vietri di Potenza, Italy · 16655 days ago · 10 km deep · 32 km away
  12. 3.42 km SSE of Muro Lucano, Italy · 16643 days ago · 10 km deep · 18 km away

Before

  1. 4.25 km NE of Avigliano, Italy · 16692 days ago · 10 km deep · 31 km away
  2. 3.90 km ENE of Albanella, Italy · 16702 days ago · 10 km deep · 51 km away
  3. 3.12 km W of Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, Italy · 16716 days ago · 10 km deep · 25 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0001bqx. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:11 AM UTC.