November 5, 1659 Earthquake: Panaija, Soriano, Polia, Italy
An earthquake struck Panaija, Soriano, Polia, Italy on November 5, 1659. It killed 2,035 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- November 5, 1659
- Place
- Panaija, Soriano, Polia, Italy
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.700° N, 16.300° E
- Country
- Italy
The toll
- Deaths
- 2,035
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
- Houses destroyed
- Very many (over 1,000)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
November 5, 1659. For nearly twenty years, the Calabrian provinces were almost immune from disturbances, until 1659 Nov. 5, when a very disastrous earthquake occurred somewhat to the south in the Monteleone zone. Several places mere completely ruined, such as Panaija, Filogasi, Polia, Castelmonardo (now called Filadelfia), Soriano, Vallelonga, Gerocarne, etc. The total number of lives lost was 2,035, 496 of these being at Panaija, 203 at Polia, 193 at Castelrnonardo, 161 at Filogasi and 160 at Soriano. (reference #516)
November 5-6 or 10, 1659, intensity XI. More than 30 localities ruined or strongly damaged in the province of Catanzaro. 2042 dead. The town of Catanzaro was strongly affected. (reference #1093)
November 10, 1659, Soriano (Catanzaro), 38 deg 42 min N, 16 deg 18 min E, intensity X. (reference #1075)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 28, 1908, Messina, Sicily, Calabria, Italy
- January 9, 1693, Sicily, Calabria, Catania, Italy
- February 5, 1783, Tyrrhenian Calabria, Italy
- February 4, 1169, Siracusa (Syracuse), Calabria, Sicily, Italy
- 1137, Catania, Sicily, Italy
- September 16, 1857, Calabria,montemurro, Italy
- December 16, 1857, Campania, Potenza, Italy
- March 27, 1638, Cosenza,martirano, Nicastro, Calabria, Italy
- July 17, 1361, Basilicata to Pouilles, Italy
- January 1688, Pisticci, Italy
- February 6, 1783, Messina Straits, Italy
- January 21, 1065, Catania,messina,milazzo,pale, Sicily, Italy
- April 24, 1836, Rossano,crosia,craco,basilicata, Italy
- September 8, 1905, Monteleone, Tropea, Monte Poro, Italy
- February 12, 1854, Connici,cosenza,pietrafitta,paterno, Italy
More
Significant earthquakes of 1659The 1600sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 1011.