5.2 quake rocks northern Italy

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was felt across central and northern Italy on Friday, causing some minor damage in rural areas but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The epicentre of the quake, which hit at about 12:33pm was between the towns of Massa and Lucca in Tuscany and La Spezia in the Liguria region, the national geophysics institute said.

The tremor was felt in Milan, the largest city in northern Italy, and as far north as the Friuli region near the border with Slovenia.

The state railway shut down some local lines to check for damage.

The quake, which struck at a depth of five kilometres, was felt as far away as Milan, Verona and Florence, a radius of more than 160 kilometres.

Television footage showed an interior begin to shake as Josefa Idem, Italy's equal opportunity and sports minister, was speaking at the Reggio Emilia city hall, some 70 kilometres away. The event was halted and the building evacuated.

The news agency ANSA said many people in the town of Carrara near the epicenter left their houses in fear, but that there were no immediate signs of damage.