Strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits central Italy

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 has struck central Italy, early Sunday morning causing the crumbling of already tremor shaken building in small cities and towns leaving thousands of people homeless, but no immediate causalities has yet been reported.

The earthquake with a depth of 1.5km (0.9 miles) comes almost two months after a major earthquake that hit central Italy on August 24, killed almost 300 people and destroyed several towns in the region.

Since the August earthquake, there have been thousands of aftershocks, which includes two very strong tremors last Wednesday. 

According to Italy's emergency services, the quake caused serious damage in multiple locations in the central regions of Marche and Umbria.
 

The US Geological Survey said the quake epicentre was 68km south-east of the regional centre of Perugia and close to the small town of Norcia.

The destroyed Basilica of St Benedict in Norcia. Picture: @monksofnorcia

According to reports, the quake was felt in far north Bolzano, near the border with Austria and in far south Puglia region at the southern tip of the Italian peninsula and was also felt strongly in the capital Rome.