M5.2 Earthquake 50 km WNW of Malfa, Italy — October 23, 2026
2026-10-23 13:55:36 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 2:55 PM UTC+1 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.7 mainshock.
On October 23, 2026 at 13:55 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 50 km WNW of Malfa, Italy, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 38.7787°, 14.3150°. This earthquake was detected by 102 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.7 mainshock that occurred 4 hours ago 61 km WNW of Leni, Italy. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 2 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in Italy, a region characterized by the Apennine extensional belt and Calabrian subduction zone, where Africa-Eurasia convergence produces complex faulting. View all earthquakes in Italy.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
14.3150°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Malfa, Italy?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 50 km WNW of Malfa, Italy on October 23, 2026 at 13:55 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 38.7787°, 14.3150°, which is 50 km WNW of Malfa, Italy. View all earthquakes in Italy.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.7 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.2 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.7 mainshock that occurred earlier 61 km WNW of Leni, Italy. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Has Italy had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Italy was the M7.2 Messina earthquake of December 28, 1908. Today's magnitude 5.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000u4dc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 23, 2026). M5.2 Earthquake 50 km WNW of Malfa, Italy — October 23, 2026. Retrieved October 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000u4dc/