WORLD : 4.5 Quake Shakes Northern Italy
A sharp earthquake that registered a magnitude of 4.5 hit a wide area of northern Italy overnight, causing panic but no serious injuries or damage, officials said.
The National Geophysics Institute in Rome said the tremor struck shortly before midnight, lasted 15 seconds and had its epicenter at Rovereto, near Trento, in a mountainous area south of the Austrian border.
It was felt as far as 125 miles away.
Thousands of people in the Trento area fled their homes in panic and spent the night outdoors. Police said the quake caused cracks in some buildings and cut electricity in some areas.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
