Mediterranean Sea: Offshore earthquake strikes the Mediterranean Sea Jan. 18

Event

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in central Mediterranean Sea, near Malta, at around 05:21 Jan. 18. The epicenter was about 96 km (60 miles) south-southwest of Zurrieq. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light to moderate shaking was probably felt throughout Malta and far southern Italy. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Out of an abundance of caution, vacate multistoried buildings or unreinforced structures in areas where strong shaking occurred; aftershocks could cause additional damage.