Italy Earthquake: 5.2 Magnitude Quake Shakes Area

An earthquake in Italy this Friday is reported to have caused some damage, but no immediate reports of casualties according to various reports.

With a 5.2 preliminary magnitude, Italy's Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the quake occurred at around 12:33 p.m. in a mountainous region near the Tuscan coast between the provinces of Massa e Cerrara and Lucca.

According to Mayor Ricardo Ballerini of Lunigiana via SKY TG 24, some buildings sustained significant damage from the event, including collapsed walls. However, no reports of injuries have been seen yet at this time.

Residents said the quake could be felt as far away as Milan, Verona and even Florence. Geographically, this is equivalent to the distance of 100 miles.

Reuters notes that the last major earthquake to hit Italy struck in May, 2012 in the central Emilia Romagna region, a quake that measured 6.0 magnitude and killed more than 20 people. It also reportedly destroyed many historic buildings.

The Richter Magnitude Scale is measured by seismic waves that account for the vibrations from earthquakes as they travel through the earth, which are recorded on instruments called seismographs. The time, locations and magnitude of an earthquake can also be determined from data recorded by seismograph stations.