5.4-magnitude earthquake jolts central Italy

The photo taken on October 4, 2016, shows destruction in the village of Amatrice that was rattled by an earthquake on August 24. (Photo by AFP)

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale has hit central Italy, including the capital Rome.

Italy's national geophysics institute said the quake struck at a depth of nine kilometers in the Macerata area of the central region of Marche on Wednesday.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the magnitude, saying the epicenter was seven kilometers south-southwest of Visso village in Macerata.

There was no information immediately available about potential casualties or damage caused by the quake, which was felt in the towns of Pescara, Ancone and L'Aquila, which was jolted by a 6.3-magnitude quake in 2009 that killed over 300 people.

Wednesday’s quake rattled windows and doors in the capital of Rome.

The quake comes about two months after nearly 300 people were killed as a strong earthquake hit central Italy.

On August 24, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hit Italy, and almost flattened scores of towns and villages in the central parts. The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 4.2, rattling the already hit areas.