Earthquake hits northern Italy, no injuries reported

[December 18, 2021]    ROME (Reuters) -An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit northern Italy on Saturday, the Italian Geophysics and Volcanology Institute (INGV) said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Upper Town of Bergamo is seen a year after the peak of Italy's COVID-19 outbreak, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo

The quake struck near Bonate Sotto, a small town outside the city of Bergamo, at a depth of 26 kilometres (16 miles), the INGV said. It was strongly felt by residents in nearby Milan, the country's second largest city.

Some 30 minutes after the quake struck, the national fire department said it had received no reports of damage or calls for help.

Earlier on Saturday, a quake of magnitude 5.4 rattled parts of southern Greece, with its centre in the sea between the Peloponnese and the island of Crete, the Athens Geodynamic Institute reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

(Reporting by Gavin JonesEditing by Mark Heinrich)

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