Earthquake hits northern Italy

An earthquake measuring 4.9 magnitude shook northern Italy Wednesday morning, with no immediate reports of injury or damage, officials said. The Institute of Geophysics reported the epicenter of the quake was in Reggio Emilia province, southeast of Milan, the Italian news agency ANSA said, and stuck at 9 A.M. The earthquake shook the city of Milan, and tremors were felt in Turin, Tuscany, Valle d"Aosta and Liguria, about 136 km (85 miles) away. An earlier morning shock, registering a magnitude of 4.2, was felt in the Verona and Veneto areas. Schools in the Milan and Liguria were evacuated, as were some government buildings. Italy often is the scene of seismic activity. An April 2009 earthquake struck the city of L'Aquila and killed 308 people.