December 13, 1990 Earthquake: Carlentini, Sicily, Italy
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Carlentini, Sicily, Italy on December 13, 1990 at 00:24:25 UTC, 11 km below the surface. It killed 19 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
- December 13, 1990
- Time
- 00:24:25 UTC
- Place
- Carlentini, Sicily, Italy
- Magnitude
- 5.3 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 11 km (7 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 37.300° N, 15.438° E
- Country
- Italy
The toll
- Deaths
- 19
- Injuries
- 200
- Damage
- $500 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.
December 13, 1990, 00:24:25.7 UTC, 37.3 N, 15.438 E, depth 11 km, magnitude 5.5 mb, 5.3 MS. At least 19 people killed, about 200 injured, 2,500 homeless and severe damage (VII) in the Carlentinin area. Damage also occurred at Augusta, Lentini and Noto, and slight damage occurred as far away as Cefalu. Felt as far west as Trapani. (reference #1053)
$500 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 28, 1908, Messina, Sicily, Calabria, Italy
- January 9, 1693, Sicily, Calabria, Catania, Italy
- January 11, 1693, Sicily, Calabria, Italy
- February 5, 1783, Tyrrhenian Calabria, Italy
- February 4, 1169, Siracusa (Syracuse), Calabria, Sicily, Italy
- 1137, Catania, Sicily, Italy
- August 6, 1757, Siracusa (Syracuse), Italy
- November 5, 1659, Panaija, Soriano, Polia, Italy
- February 6, 1783, Messina Straits, Italy
- 1086, Siracusa (Syracuse), Italy
- January 21, 1065, Catania,messina,milazzo,pale, Sicily, Italy
- September 8, 1905, Monteleone, Tropea, Monte Poro, Italy
- June 19, 1640, Badolato, Italy
- October 23, 1907, Ferruzano, Italy
- May 8, 1914, Catania, Etna, Italy
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent 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 5268.