5.4-magnitude quake hits central Italy

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 hit central Italy on Wednesday, including the capital Rome.Italy’s national geophysics institute registered the quake at a depth of nine kilometres (almost six miles) in the Macerata area of the central region of Marche.

The US Geological Survey confirmed the magnitude, locating the epicentre as seven kilometres south-southwest of the village of Visso in Macerata.

The quake comes after a major quake in August devastated the Italian mountain town of Amatrice, killing nearly 300 people.

That disaster caused an estimated four billion euros ($4.5 billion) of damage, with 1,400 people still living in temporary accommodation.

Wednesday’s quake was felt in the towns of Pescara, Ancone and L’Aquila — which was itself struck in 2009 by a quake in which more than 300 people perished — with many people rushing out of their homes in panic.

In Rome, the quake rattled windows and door