A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck central Italy on Thursday morning in the same region hit by recent strong quakes, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Earthquakes measuring 5.5 and 6.1 hit the area on Oct. 26, followed by a 6.6 magnitude quake on Sunday, the biggest tremor to strike Italy for 36 years. A magnitude 5.0 earthquake is considered moderate and is capable of causing considerable damage. Central Italy was hit by an initial earthquake on Aug. 24 that killed 300 people, most of them in the town of Amatrice. The recent quakes have reshaped more than 600 square km of land, lowering areas around the epicentre by up to 70 cm, according to data released by Italy's National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

Source: CBC News November 03, 2016 02:33 UTC