Climate and risks: the 1908 earthquake and the 2009 mudslides
Messina lives with seismic risk: the earthquake of 28 December 1908 (magnitude 7.1) and the tsunami destroyed the city, with about 80,000 victims in the area. On 1 October 2009 intense rain caused mudslides in the southern villages, at Giampilieri and nearby, killing 37 people. Climate data are in the block.
Sections: Seasons · Rainfall · Temperatures · Air quality · Environmental hazards
The 1908 earthquake and tsunami
At 5:20 on 28 December 1908 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck eastern Sicily and southern Calabria, over an area of about 6,000 km², while people were asleep. About ten minutes later a tsunami hit both coasts of the Strait, worsening the damage and killing those who had fled towards the sea. There were about 80,000 victims; Messina and Reggio Calabria were nearly destroyed. Civil Protection names poor foundation ground and poor construction quality among the causes of the collapses; after 1908 the State introduced the seismic classification of the territory and specific building rules, with a 1909 royal decree valid for the whole country.
The 2009 flood
On 1 October 2009 intense rain on the province's Ionian strip — in some areas about 250 mm in three hours, after weeks of rain — made the slopes give way: mud and debris flows hit Santa Margherita Marina, Pezzolo, Briga, Giampilieri Superiore, Molino and Altolia, in the municipality of Messina, and Scaletta Zanclea. 37 people died and more than two thousand were displaced. Those choosing a home in the hill villages should consider the landslide risk of the slopes.
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Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-13
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