Italy Hit With 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake

An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude has rocked central Italy, 53 miles northeast of Rome, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Some residents in the town of l'Aquila, east of Rome in the mountainous Abruzzo region, ran out into the streets.

Reports of collapsed buildings have been made and authorities are now checking to see if anyone has been injured.

Rafael Abreu Hael U.S. Geological Survey told Sky News the quake happened at 3.32 a.m. local time.

"This is a significant earthquake," he said. "This is a shallow quake but there is definitely a possibility of damage and even injuries. It is going to depend on what type of buildings are in the area."