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[WATCH] No deaths reported following strong earthquakes in central Italy
Two strong earthquakes have hit central Italy, damaging buildings and injuring dozens of people
Some buildings in central Visso were damaged
A series of strong earthquakes rocked a wide area of central Italy on Wednesday, however there were no reports of casualties and few serious injuries.
Two quakes struck within about two hours from each other, near Visso in Macerata, with the first one striking at 7:10pm. The quakes caused the collapse of several old structures, including a number of historic rural churches that were empty at the time.
The first quake measured a magnitude of 5.5 and the second 6.1, according to the US Geological Survey.
A collapsed building is seen next to a petrol station after an earthquake in Visso, central Italy PHOTO: Reuters
About five hours after the first quake, Civil Protection department chief Fabrizio Curcio said "tens" of people were reported hurt but only four suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries.
"The reports are not as catastrophic as we feared," he said.
The second earthquake was considerably stronger than the first and numerous smaller aftershocks were felt.
The tremors sent residents running into the streets in the rain and were strong enough to be felt as far south as the outskirts of Naples more than 250km away and as far north as Venice, some 300km away, according to Reuters news agency. Residents wrapped in blankets filled a Red Cross centre, where authorities were setting up makeshift dorms.
“Tomorrow morning we’ll need to get them bathrooms and something to eat. That’s the next thing. Then, of course, we’ll have to start putting up tents,” mayor Giuliano Pazzaglini said.
Residents of Visso sleep in makeshift accommodation after two earthquakes hit the village PHOTO: AFP
Mauro Falucci, mayor of Castelsantangelo sul Nera, 11km south of Ussita, said there was no electricity and that people had gathered in the main town square. Some eyewitnesses said people were preparing to spend the night in their cars to avoid going home.
Residents in affected towns reportedly fled their homes after the first quake, a fact that may have prevented more injuries when the second earthquake hit the area about two hours later.
A damaged wall along a church is seen in Norcia, central Italy PHOTO: Reuters
The epicentres of the quakes were near the town of Castelsantangelo sul Nera in the Marche region.
The historic late 15th-century rural church of San Salvatore in Campo, near Norcia in the Umbria region, which had been weakened by the August quake, collapsed.
Electrical power was lost in some of the areas and some roads were closed.
Chiesa di #Visso , crolli #Terremoto @chilhavistorai3
— Marco Ferraglioni (@MFerraglioni) October 26, 2016
pic.twitter.com/qIlg5gQztG
Damage in #Visso #Italy after the 2 earthquakes - @clapaudice@tycoonewsEARTH pic.twitter.com/eScRoBT0Nd
— Global News (@ofirzarfatinews) October 26, 2016
