Rome metro evacuated as three quakes rock central Italy

Three strong earthquakes have been felt in central Italy, with people in Rome saying they experienced the tremors, local media say, Sky News reports.

The first quake measured a magnitude of 5.4 and was 60 miles north of Rome, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.

Two more of similar magnitude struck 50 minutes later around the same region and was felt in Rome, local media has reported.

The Metro in Rome has been evacuated, following the second quake after people reported feeling tremors there.

The quakes are the latest to hit the region after 300 people died in August when the town of Amatrice was flattened.

Two further quakes rattled the region in October, with the most powerful measuring 6.5 magnitude.

The latest follows 36 hours of continuous snowfall in areas close to Amatrice and another badly-hit mountain town, Norcia.