A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy early this morning, shaking residents in both Italy and Malta. The tremor occurred at a depth of 65km in the Ionian Sea, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
Authorities reported a 'lot of fear' among residents, many of whom were woken from their sleep. Emergency lines in both countries were flooded with calls, but no injuries or major damage have been reported so far.
In Malta, the earthquake was felt across the islands, including in Marsascala, Valletta, St Julian's, Sliema, and other localities. Local news sites reported that people were 'woken up by shaking'.
Domenico Costarella, head of the Calabria Region's Civil Protection Department, told Sky TG24 that inspections around the epicentre area had been completed. 'Fortunately, no damage has been reported. Of course, it was felt, there was fear, residents felt it clearly,' he said.
This is the third earthquake to affect Calabria in recent days, following smaller tremors on January 6 and 7.
