A series of slight tremors which have been rattling Malta continued in the afternoon, with one - slightly more powerful than the others - felt  just after 3 p.m.

The Seismic Monitoring and Research Unit of the University said an earthquake swarm has been in progress throughout today about 38 km to the east of the Maltese islands. 

The first event was an earthquake of magnitude 3.5  which occurred at 00:11 and was felt mainly in the eastern half of Malta.  The earthquake was followed by other events at approximately the same location at 3.34 a.m. (magnitude  3.3),  4.44 a.m. (magnitude 2.5)  and  6.39 a.m. (magnitude 3.5). 

The most recent, and largest earthquake occurred at 3.02 p.m.  and had a magnitude of 4.1.  It was felt throughout the Maltese islands including Gozo. 

More than 200 reports were submitted throughout the day via the online questionnaire available on the website of the unit of the Physics Department. 

The Unit has charted all tremors so far.   

"This  seismic activity is associated with the offshore faults around the Maltese islands, and often occurs as earthquake swarms lasting from a few hours to a few days," the unit said.

The location of the earthquakes may be viewed on the website www.phys.um.edu.mt/seismic, where residents may also fill in the online questionnaire. 

A reader told timesofmalta this afternoon that he felt a sofa move, while another said he saw his ceiling fan swing. In the morning, a reader from  Floriana said he felt a door shake. In Balluta Buildings, St. Julian's, a reader said that the windows rattled and the floor shook.

In Zabbar, a man said the pets reacted to the shock.