January 1688 Earthquake: Pisticci, Italy
An earthquake struck Pisticci, Italy in January 1688. It killed 2,000 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
- January 1688
- Place
- Pisticci, Italy
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 40.380° N, 16.550° E
- Country
- Italy
The toll
- Deaths
- 2,000
- 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.
January 1688, intensity 10 or 10.5. Disastrous earthquake at Pisticcio, between Potenza and the Gulf of Tarante, 2000 victims. (reference #1093)
1688, Pisticci, intensity X, 40 deg 23 min N, 16 deg 33 min E. (reference #1075)
January 1688. Italy, Pisticci in (Basilicata) 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)
January 1688, Province of Basilicata in the kingdom of Naples. Violent shocks for three hours. Pisticcio was rined and 200 of its inhabitants killed. (reference #1879)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 5, 1456, Avellino,napoli,abruzzi, Brindisi,benevento, Italy
- December 16, 1857, Campania, Potenza, Italy
- September 16, 1857, Calabria,montemurro, Italy
- March 27, 1638, Cosenza,martirano, Nicastro, Calabria, Italy
- July 26, 1805, Molise, Rosolone, Napoli (Naples), Isernia, Italy
- July 30, 1627, Lesina, Italy
- November 23, 1980, Avellino, Potenza, Caserta, Naples, Italy
- September 8, 1694, Calitri, Italy
- July 17, 1361, Basilicata to Pouilles, Italy
- December 16, 1631, Naples (Napoli), Italy
- March 20, 1731, Foggia, Italy
- June 5, 1688, Benevento, Italy
- August 24, 79, Naples (Napoli), Italy
- November 5, 1659, Panaija, Soriano, Polia, Italy
- November 29, 1732, Ariano, Lucanie, Avellino, Italy
More
Significant earthquakes of 1688The 1600sRecent earthquakes near here
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 1108.