ROME: There has been major structural damage to the town of Ussita following two strong aftershocks in central Italy.Mayor Marco Rinaldi told The Associated Press that the town's church, the parish and other buildings have suffered some heavy damage.Rinaldi said on early Thursday: "The final count of damages will be done with the first lights of dawn. "He added, "It was something. The valley is small, and the fault passes here. "The two strong aftershocks struck towns in the Marche and Umbria regions in central Italy on Wednesday night, destroying buildings and sending frightened residents running from their homes.An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 had rattled a broad swath of central Italy, including Rome, on Wednesday, just two months after a powerful temblor toppled villages, killing nearly 300 people.Italy's National Vulcanology Center said the epicenter was near Macerata, near Perugia. The US Geological Survey said it had a depth of some 10 kilometers, which is relatively shallow.The quake was felt across a broad swath of central and southern Italy, shaking centuries-old palazzi in Rome's historic center.The August 24 quake destroyed hilltop village of Amatrice and other nearby towns.Wednesday's quake was felt from Perugia in Umbria to the capital Rome to the central Italy town of Aquila, which was struck by a deadly quake in 2009.

Source: Times of India October 27, 2016 03:46 UTC