A 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit the waters near Calabria this morning, affecting both Italy and Malta.
Authorities noted widespread apprehension following the earthquake, with individuals reporting being jolted awake. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or significant destruction thus far.
Residents in various areas of Malta and Gozo experienced the tremor, disrupting their sleep. Emergency services in Italy and Malta were inundated with calls following the seismic event, although no injuries or damages have been reported.
This recent earthquake in Calabria follows a series of tremors in the region, with a small tremor occurring in the northern part on January 7 and another in the south-western part on January 6.
Domenico Costarella, the head of the Calabria Region’s Civil Protection Department, confirmed that residents distinctly felt the quake but no damages were reported after inspections in the epicenter area. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported the epicenter was off the Ionian coast at a depth of 65km.
Times of Malta highlighted that individuals across the island were jolted awake by the shaking. The earthquake struck off the southern coast of Italy just before 6am local time, causing tremors in various parts of Italy and Malta.