Significant earthquakes of 1688

April 11, 1688 Earthquake: Cotignola, Bagnacavallo, Italy

April 11, 1688 · Deaths: many

An earthquake struck Cotignola, Bagnacavallo, Italy on April 11, 1688 at 11:00 UTC.

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
April 11, 1688
Time
11:00 UTC
Place
Cotignola, Bagnacavallo, Italy
Intensity
10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
44.400° N, 12.000° E
Country
Italy

The toll

Deaths
Many (about 101 to 1,000)
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 million)

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.

April 11, 1688, 11 UTC, intensity IX-X. Bagnacavillo, 44 deg 24 min N, 12 deg E. (reference #1075)

April 11, 1688, Italy, Cotignola, Bagnacavallo and other towns in Romagna, intensity II which corresponds to buildings may be unroofed or shattered and some may fall, the ground may be badly cracked in places and small landslips occur. (reference #1055)

April 11, 1688, intensity 10.5. Very disastrous earthquake at Cotignola (epicenter) and at Bagnacavallo, in the district of Lugo, province of Ravenne. Many victims. There was also destruction at Revenne, Cesena, Forli, Faenza and Imola. (reference #1093)

April 1 to 11, 1688, Venice, several shocks. (reference #1879)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1688The 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 1110.