Latest quake sparks fear around Italy's Naples

Rome: A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck the volcanic area around Naples as part of a major quake swarm on Tuesday, sparking fear but no immediate re...

Rome: A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck the volcanic area around Naples as part of a "major" quake swarm on Tuesday, sparking fear but no immediate reports of damage.

The tremor hit the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) area in southern Italy at 12:07 pm (10:07 GMT), at a depth of three kilometres, according to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

It was preceded by two quakes of 2.1 magnitude, and followed by one of 3.5 magnitude 15 minutes later.

"A major seismic swarm is underway," wrote Gigi Manzoni, the mayor of the city of Pozzuoli near Naples, on social media.

He said it had "inevitably frightened the population" but urged everyone "to remain calm, to remain in open spaces -- this is a time of great anxiety".