4.8 magnitude earthquake shakes central Italy

Rome: A 4.8-magnitude quake hit central Italy on Sunday, shaking apartment buildings in the centre of Rome and spooking citizens in the region of Abruzzo, struck by a killer quake in 2009.

The tremors sparked panicked calls in the Abruzzo region to the emergency services. The medieval town of L’Aquila was hit in 2009 by a 6.3-magnitude quake which killed 309 people, and ruined buildings still scar the landscape.

On Saturday, three Italian builders and a technician were found guilty of multiple manslaughter after a dormitory they had restored and safety approved collapsed during the L’Aquila quake, killing eight students.