ROME: Central Italy experienced a 4.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday morning, with its epicenter located north of Florence.
While the quake led residents to take to the streets, fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or personal injuries.
The Italy National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) recorded the earthquake, measuring it at 4.8 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter was situated near Marradi, a town with approximately 3,000 residents located within the province of Florence, nestled in the Apennine mountain range. The quake occurred at 5:10 am local time (0310 GMT).
As a precautionary measure, some schools in the affected areas were closed, and train services experienced delays as railway lines underwent safety checks.
Firefighters noted that alarmed residents reached out to emergency services, but at the time of reporting, no personal injuries had been reported.
Mayor Tommaso Triberti of Marradi mentioned that firefighters were conducting inspections inside private residences. He added that while there was significant concern and people had taken to the streets, no significant damage had been reported.
This seismic event is a reminder of the earthquake risk in this region. In 2019, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck nearby Mugello, causing minimal damage but resulting in the cracking of the facade of a 17th-century church.
Mugello has a history of seismic activity, with a devastating earthquake occurring in 1919, which was one of the most severe earthquakes of the 20th century and resulted in the loss of approximately 100 lives.
