Significant earthquakes of 1786

March 9, 1786 Earthquake: Sicily, Melazzo, Italy

March 9, 1786

An earthquake struck Sicily, Melazzo, Italy on March 9, 1786.

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
March 9, 1786
Place
Sicily, Melazzo, Italy
Intensity
10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
38.200° N, 15.200° E
Country
Italy

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #496 lists March 4, 1786, between 3 and 4 a.m. an earthquake was observed in Sicily, at Patti, and the district around S. Pietro, S. Tindaro, Melazzo, and Messina. Part of Melazzo was destroyed.

Reference #1055 lists March 9 an earthquake in Patti, Naso, Tinderi and other places in Messina and also in Calabria, caused severe damage.

Reference #1002 lists March 9, 1786 a destructive earthquake in Patti, Italy.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1786The 1700sRecent 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 1487.