Sicily Earthquakes Prompt Orange Tsunami Advisory

A cluster of earthquakes off Sicily prompted an orange tsunami advisory and precautionary evacuations on Friday, October 23, as officials urged coastal communities to follow safety guidance. The reports did not confirm that a tsunami had occurred. Italy’s national tsunami warning system issued the advisory for coastal areas. The orange level indicates the possibility of waves below 0.5 metres or land runup below one metre; it is not confirmation that a tsunami will strike. Bagheria’s city government said alerts were issued for coastal areas around the city. The strongest tremor was reported in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, northwest of the Aeolian Islands, at about 12:19 p.m. local time. Estimates of its magnitude differed: Italian monitoring data and reports citing Italian officials put it at 5.0 or 5.5, while the U.S. Geological Survey reported 5.7. The reports did not explain the variation. They described a wider cluster of about 12 earthquakes, though details of individual tremors varied. Schools in Palermo were evacuated as a precaution, according to reports. Other accounts also reported evacuations in Messina, while a courthouse in Trapani and buildings on Aeolian islands...