Frequently asked questions
Short, careful answers about data, alerts, privacy and subscription. If you do not find yours, write to us from the Contact page.
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No. It is an independent service: it is not part of Civil Protection or INGV. For official guidance follow the authorities and, in an emergency, call 112.
No, and no service can. Epicentro shows what happened and statistical estimates, such as estimated intensity and, with Epicentro Plus, aftershock probability, which are not predictions.
No. Alerts arrive after the quake, once the source publishes the event. They cannot warn you before the ground starts moving.
It gathers in one place data you usually find scattered: a plain-language summary, estimated intensity where you are, your town's seismic zone, distance from your areas, charts and history. Every figure has its source.
The core is: basic alerts, events, map, summary and “I felt it”. Plus is an optional subscription with extra tools.
From INGV for Italy, USGS for the rest of the world and EMSC as a backup. The map uses OpenStreetMap. Sources are shown next to every figure.
First values are automatic and get revised once experts analyse more recordings. Magnitude, depth and position can change slightly. When it happens, the page flags it with “Subject to revision”.
Magnitude measures the energy of the quake and is a single value per event. Intensity describes effects at a place and changes with distance: Epicentro shows an estimate, not an official survey.
The summary uses the source data. The explanation is written by an AI, is always labelled and can contain errors: when in doubt, the source figure prevails.
It depends on when the source publishes the event and how your phone delivers the notification. There can be a delay.
Yes. For each area you set a minimum magnitude and radius. Basic safety alerts stay free, with up to two areas.
Without a connection no new alerts arrive, but emergency mode, your town's seismic zone and information already saved remain available.
Yes, with Plus you can set quiet hours.
No, the app works without one. An account is optional and is needed for Plus and to link several devices.
No, we do not sell your personal data. The privacy policy explains which data the app needs to work.
It is used to calculate distance and estimated intensity. You decide if and when to grant it, in your phone's settings.
Detailed aftershock probability, worldwide events and history, unlimited areas, family check-in, custom simulator, PDF report and quiet hours.
Price and free trial are those shown by the store at the time of purchase.
From the subscription settings in the App Store or Google Play, at any time. Basic alerts stay free.
It is optional and starts off. A phone that is still and charging picks up the first waves, sends an anonymous signal, and the server compares signals from different phones.
No. Today it sends no alerts: it is an experiment and does not predict earthquakes.
Follow Civil Protection guidance: take cover under sturdy furniture or next to a load-bearing wall and move away from glass and objects that can fall. The app recalls the essentials in emergency mode.
The data comes from OpenStreetMap and may be incomplete. Always check your town's emergency plan.
Know what happened, without panic.
Get Epicentro and choose which quakes you want to know about.
Epicentro is independent and unofficial. It does not predict earthquakes.