An earthquake in central Italy measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale was felt in the cities of Florence and Bologna, news reports said.

No injuries to people or damage to buildings were immediately reported in the earthquake which struck early Saturday, the ANSA news agency said.

The quake's epicentre was calculated to be in the Mugello region north of Florence, near the central Appenine mountain range that runs down the length of Italy, ANSA said.