Moderate quake jolts Italy

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale jolted southern Italy, causing panic but no injuries among the population.The quake, the epicentre of which was located some 200 km deep below the Mediterranean Sea, was felt Thursday in several Italian regions, including Sicily and Calabria.

Described as the area's strongest quake in 30 years, it prompted people to rush out of their homes and into the streets. No major damage or injuries were reported, however.Experts ruled out any relation between the quake and Etna, an active volcano in Sicily, which has been erupting for the past weeks.

"This afternoon's earthquake, between Sicily and Calabria, took place in a well-identified area," said Enzo Boschi of Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology. "The deeper the epicentre, the wider the shock wave is felt on the surface. But these kinds of earthquakes don't generally produce major damages," Boschi said.

Earthquakes measuring between 5.0 and 5.9 on the Richter scale are considered "moderate" by experts. They can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings or slight damage to well-designed buildings.In 1997, a similarly strong quake caused serious damages to the central Italian regions of Umbria and Marche.

Source: Msn.co.in