ROME - A strong magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck central Italy early Monday, damaging buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets, officials and news reports said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck about 96 kilometers northeast of Rome at about 8:30 p.m. ET (0030 GMT Monday) on Sunday.
Italian news reports said the epicenter was near the city of L'Aquila, in the mountainous Abruzzo region.
The Civil Protection Department was assessing the damage.
The quake was felt in much of central Italy, including Rome. People were woken by the quake and ran into the streets, the ANSA news agency said.
The quake was the latest in a series of jolts that struck the area over the past two days.
