An Earthquake Hits Italy With A Magnitude Of 5 On The Richter Scale

A powerful earthquake shook a region of central Italy close to the city of Perugia on Thursday afternoon.

An initial report from the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said it was a magnitude 5 quake but the Italian authorities put it at 4.4, and said its epicentre was in the town of Umbertide, north-east of Perugia.

Local people rushed into the streets after the quake was felt, Mr Luca Carizia, the mayor of Umbertide, told Italian news agency ANSA.