Rome
© Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters
Quake comes months after almost 300 people were killed in Central Italy earthquake

An earthquake has struck Italy, shaking buildings in Rome just months after almost 300 people were killed in one of the worst disasters in living memory.

Residents of the capital described their homes and offices shaking at around 10.25am local time (9.5am BST).

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) measured the quake at magnitude 5.4, placing the epicentre in Central Italy, just over 10 miles from Maltignano.

There was no immediate indication of deaths or severe damage, the organisation said.

Small tremors have reportedly been felt in Rome for several weeks but Wednesday's was the biggest seismic event in several months.

It comes just months after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed at least 299 people in the country's central regions in August.

It was followed by at least two more deadly earthquakes in Umbria and Marche in October, both measuring over six on the Richter scale.


Reconstruction efforts continue in towns and villages left reduced to rubble by the disaster, which forced thousands of people to shelter in emergency camps.

Italy's Apennine mountains lie along an active fault line between the Adriatic and Eurasian plates, causing frequent seismic activity.