An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale shook the central Italian Adriatic region of Marche this morning. The center of the earthquake was in the Adriatic Sea, between Italy and Croatia, at a depth of 25 kilometers and 64 kilometers east of Rimini, according to the Italian Institute of Earthquakes and Volcanology (INGV). The coastal town of Senigallia was particularly affected, Italian media reported.
The two aftershocks after 7 am were clearly felt in several regions of northern and central Italy, as well as in Trentino, South Tyrol and Rome. People took to the streets. The Fire Department was inundated with calls from concerned citizens. The earthquake was also clearly felt near Klagenfurt and Villach in Carinthia, as announced by the Austrian Central Institute of Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG).
In the resort town of Rimini, people ran into the streets in panic. Many hotels were evacuated. Tourists stormed the train station in hopes of getting out of town. Damage has been reported to buildings. Rail traffic was stopped for controls near the Adriatic port of Ancona. Some people got stuck in elevators.