Ischia island is situated in the circular caldera which forms the Phlegraean Fields of volcanoes.

Instead, it is a geological horst, a block of volcanic material deposited by eruptions that have been uplifted by active faulting.

Part of the Santa Maria Maddalena nave collapsed, crushing attendees of a religious service.

A 1917 memoir by Vilhelm Bergsøe documented the earthquake of 1867—it was also experienced by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.

[6] The earthquake occurred on the northern slopes of Mount Epomeo along a near-vertical fault with an estimated length of 2 km (1.2 mi).

Based on the documented observations, an east-west striking fault plane, measuring 2.5 by 3.4 km2 (0.97 by 1.31 sq mi), was obtained and plasibly represent the source of the rupture.

The relatively small magnitude can be attributed to the brittleness of rock at shallow depths caused by volcanic heat.

[10] The earthquake was most devastating in the northern part of the city of Casamicciola, collapsing or seriously damaging many homes.

Private buildings, hotels, churches, and country houses were among the many infrastructures destroyed by the earthquake.

[12][13] During a dialogue in the 1960 film Chi si ferma è perduto, the grandfather of a character was said to have landed in Messina on the day of the earthquake.

[16] A work by painter Rodolfo Morgari titled Episode after 1883 earthquake at Casamicciola, was exhibited at Turin in 1884.