Another Strong Quake Jolts Italy, Destroys Buildings

MEP: Another strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 has rocked central Italy, causing the collapse of buildings and historic edifices already damaged by previous tremors a week before, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quakes come nearly two months after a major earthquake killed almost 300 people and destroyed several towns.

Residents already rattled by a constant trembling of the earth rushed into piazzas and streets after being roused from bed by Sunday’s 7:40 am quake.

Fabrizio Curcio, the head of the national civil protection agency, said there did not appear to have been any fatalities.

“We are checking. There are several people injured, but for the moment, we have had no reports of victims,” he said.

Tremors were felt in the capital Rome, and as far away as Venice in the north. It was at a depth of only 1.5km (0.9 miles).

The Survey also said the quake was centred 132 km northeast of Rome and 68 km east of Perugia, near the epicentre of last week’s trembols.