Magnitude 6.1 Quake Rattles Rome And Central Italy

ROME — A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck central Italy early Wednesday, with reports of damaged buildings and blackouts near the epicenter and residents fleeing their homes and running into the streets. The quake struck just after 3:30 a.m. and was felt across a broad section of central Italy, including Rome, where people in homes in the historic center felt a long swaying followed by aftershocks. The European Mediterranean Seismological Center put the magnitude at 6.1 and said the epicenter was northeast of Rome, near Rieti.