Historical
earthquakes
in the area hit by the October 31, 2002 earthquake
(1.11.02)
The October 31, 2002 earthquake in Molise has occurred in an area which,
in all probability, did not originate earthquakes of the same energy in
the last 1000 years (CPTI catalogue).
The strongest earthquakes in the neighbouring areas are: i) the Apenninic
sequence of December 1456, which caused heavy damage at Casacalenda;
ii) the Gargano sequence of July-August 1627, which caused damage
assessed as 8-9 degree MCS at Termoli and 8 MCS at Campomarino; iii) the
July 1805, Matese earthquake, the effects of which have been assessed
as 6 MCS at Larino.
In the area comprising Sannio, Molise and Daunia could be located a medieval
earthquake, about which information is scanty: the October 11, 1125
earthquake, which caused damage assessed as 8 MCS at Benevento, Bonito
and Larino. Sources not coeval to the earthquake say that the monastery
at Cliternia, in the area of Cliternia Nuova, was damaged as well (CFTI
catalogue). The available knowledge do not permit to locate with a good
accuracy the event, which could have interested either in Benevento or
the Larino area.
Previous seismic catalogues, no more in use (e.g. Postpischl, 1985), list
a destructive earthquake located at Larino in 1120. Recent studies
(CFTI catalogue) have shown that this earthquake is, in all probability,
the duplication of an earthquake occurred in the same year 1120 at Alvito.
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