Earthquake measuring 5.0 on Richter scale hits central Italy

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck central Italy today morning in the same region hit by recent strong quakes, the US Geological Survey said.

It said the temblor, which struck at 1:35 am (0035 GMT), was very shallow, only 6.2 miles (10 km) deep, and was centred 32 miles (51.5 km) south-east of Perugia.

Earthquakes measuring 5.5 and 6.1 hit the area on October 26, followed by a 6.6 magnitude quake on Sunday, the biggest tremor to strike Italy for 36 years.

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake is considered moderate and is capable of causing considerable damage. The shallow depth would have intensified the shaking at the surface.

Sunday's earthquake reduced historic towns and villages in the Apennine mountains to rubble on Sunday, displacing 15,000 people.

Then the worst-affected areas were Umbria, Marche, and parts of rural Lazio -- where the town of Amatrice was levelled by an earthquake in August, killing 300.

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