The Great Neapolitan earthquake occurred on December 16, 1857 in the Basilicata region of Italy southeast of the city of Naples. The epicentre was in Montemurro, on the western border of the modern province of Potenza. Several towns were destroyed, and estimated fatalities were around 11,000 – 12,000, but unofficial sources report 19,000 deaths. At the time it was the third largest known earthquake, and has been estimated to have been of magnitude 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale.