A strong earthquake shock magnitude 5.1 it occurred in the Ionian Sea, off the coast of Calabria, at 5.53am today 10 January 2026. According to data reported by INGV, the epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 65 km from Reggio Calabria and the hypocenter has a depth of 65km. For precautionary reasons, train traffic on the Catanzaro-Reggio Calabria line was suspended at 6 this morning. The shock was distinctly felt at Reggio Calabriaeven if – as confirmed by the Civil Protection – no damage was recorded. The shaking values reached IV degree of the Mercalli scale in much of southern Calabria and along the eastern coast of Sicily.
From a geological point of view, this earthquake occurred in an area with high seismic danger: Calabria is in fact among the most seismic areas in Italy as it suffers the convergence between the African and Eurasian plates. The interaction between the two plates therefore generates widespread seismicity, as confirmed by the historical data of the earthquakes recorded by the INGV from 1985 to today.
The same area had a magnitude 4.8 earthquake in April 2025. We also remember that the most violent earthquake ever recorded in Italy occurred between Sicily and Calabria, which in 1908 caused over 80,000 victims.
