A 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Calabria coast this morning, affecting both Italy and Malta. Authorities noted a widespread sense of fear following the earthquake, with reports of people being awakened by the shaking. Fortunately, there have been no injuries or significant damages reported so far.
Residents in various areas of Malta and Gozo experienced the earthquake, with locations such as Marsascala, Mġarr, Valletta, St Julian’s, Sliema, Kirkop, St Paul’s Bay, and Birkirkara being particularly affected. Emergency hotlines in both Italy and Malta received numerous calls in the aftermath of the earthquake, but no injuries or damages have been confirmed.
This seismic event is not the first to impact Calabria recently, with small tremors felt on January 7 in the northern part of the region and on January 6 in the southwestern part. Domenico Costarella, head of the Calabria Region’s Civil Protection Department, mentioned that while residents felt the earthquake distinctly, no damages have been reported following inspections in the epicenter area near the Ionian Sea.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was off the Ionian coast at a depth of 65km. Times of Malta described how people across the island were awoken by the tremors. The earthquake occurred off the southern tip of Italy just before 6 am local time, leading to reports of shaking in various parts of both Italy and Malta.