A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck near Fornace Zarattini in northern Italy early January 13, the US Geological Survey reported. The tremor hit at around 10:17 am local time at a shallow depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), and Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology recorded a magnitude 4.1 aftershock nearby. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries, but residents felt the shaking across the Emilia-Romagna region.
The prospect of an earthquake is a terrifying one for many of us, and it seems like there have been a lot of earthquakes in recent years. But is the frequency increasing? Or are we now just a lot more aware of what's taking place in the wider world, thanks to increased communications and reporting? And if they have become more frequent, is climate change a contributing factor? Click on the following gallery for these answers and more.