One killed as earthquake hits Italian island

At least one person was killed and 25 wounded in an earthquake that hit Italy's southern island of Ischia on Monday.

Measuring 3.6 magnitude on the Richter scale, the temblor struck at 8:57 p.m. local time, Xinhua quoted the Italian National Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (INGV) as saying.

The quake destroyed several buildings and at least one church. One woman died after being hit by debris in the collapse of a building.

At least seven people were missing and believed to be trapped under rubble, Italian TV La 7 cited the vice-mayor in the municipality of Casamicciola Terme as reporting.

Some crews from the Civil Protection Agency were already on the island to tackle fires. Other relief teams were being dispatched from Naples, the Fire Department stated on Twitter.

Ischia lies in the Gulf of Naples.

--IANS

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