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EARTHQUAKES

Trains delayed in southern Italy after 4.3-magnitude earthquake shakes Calabria

No major damage was reported after an earthquake was felt across much of the southern Italian region of Calabria on Thursday.

Published: 20 January 2022 12:16 CET
A view of the coast from the town of Riace in Calabria.
A view of the coast from the town of Riace in Calabria. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli

Calabria was hit by a 4.3-magnitude earthquake on Thursday morning, the National Institute of Geology and Volcanology (INGV) has confirmed.

The earthquake was felt most strongly on the south-western Calabrian coast, affecting Catanzaro, Vibo Valentia, Reggio di Calabria, at 10.19am on Thursday, the institute said.

READ ALSO: Which areas of Italy have the highest risk of earthquakes?

No serious injury or damage has been reported, firefighters said, though schools and public offices in the area were evacuated according to reports in Italian media.

Trains were stopped for several hours, including at least five high-speed services bound for Rome, leading to knock-on delays across the rail network, news agency Ansa reports. Major roads in the region remained open.

READ ALSO: Easyjet apologises for advertising Calabria region’s ‘mafia activity and earthquakes’

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EARTHQUAKES

Italy’s Siena province shaken by 3.4 earthquake

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook the Siena province, central Tuscany, on Tuesday evening, resulting in no damage but causing residents to run out into the streets.

Published: 17 April 2024 09:50 CEST
Italy’s Siena province shaken by 3.4 earthquake

The quake, which occurred at 7.49pm local time, did not result in any damage but caused “panic” among residents, with many rushing out into the streets, Tuscany’s president Eugenio Giani said.

The epicentre was located four kilometres east of the town of Poggibonsi, in the Siena province, at a depth of around 8.3 kilometres, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

The quake was initially estimated to have been between 3.2 and 3.7 on the Richter magnitude scale before official data placed it at 3.4. 

Poggibonsi mayor David Bussagli said the quake “was felt distinctly” but “no damage to people or things” had been reported.

The tremor was also felt by residents in Florence, Arezzo and Pisa, according to local media reports.

READ ALSO: What to do in an earthquake in Italy

Tremors are not new to the area. A 3.5 quake struck the city of Siena, which is famous for its artistic heritage and the Palio horse race, last February, causing local museums, schools and universities to close for a day. 

Italy is among the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe as the Italian peninsula lies right where the African tectonic plate converges with the Eurasian plate, meaning that the country is “seismic in its entirety”, according to the country’s Civil Protection Department.

READ ALSO: Which parts of Italy have the highest risk of earthquakes?

Italy has been hit by more than 30,000 medium to strong earthquakes over the past 2,500 years, and seven earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 or more in the 20th century alone.

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