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Sicily Shaken: Quakes Rock Palermo Coastline
23 Oct
Summary
- A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Tyrrhenian Sea.
- Southern Italy experienced numerous seismic events Friday.
- Tsunami alerts were issued for coastal areas near Bagheria.
A sequence of earthquakes rattled Palermo, the capital of Sicily, and other parts of southern Italy on Friday. The tremors originated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reporting a magnitude 5.7 quake. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology documented almost three dozen seismic events in the region north of Sicily.
The day's seismic activity included a magnitude 4.9 quake shortly before noon, followed by the larger 5.7 magnitude event around 12:20 p.m. local time. Both had epicenters approximately six miles below the sea's surface. Later, a magnitude 5.2 quake occurred about 30 miles west-northwest of Malfa.
In response to the seismic activity, the Palermo government indicated that the mayor would order evacuations of some public buildings. Authorities advised people to avoid boating and stay clear of the water. First responders in Bagheria conducted building inspections, and local schools were evacuated. Italy's national tsunami warning system issued alerts for coastal zones surrounding Bagheria.
