BOLOGNA, Italy: An earthquake of about magnitude 4.8 hit central Italy on Friday, the country's civil protection agency said, sending residents out into the streets but causing no reported injuries or damage.

Italian civil protection officials said the epicentre of the tremor was near the Tuscan town of Lucca. It was felt throughout the neighbouring Emilia Romagna region and parts of Lombardy.

Barbara Wiza, a staff member at the Johns Hopkins University in Bologna, said that some buildings had been evacuated.

"Compared to the last quake we did not feel it as strong. It lasted a few seconds but it wasn't strong," she said.

A quake with tremors of up to 6.0 in the same area last year killed more than 20 people, destroyed historic buildings and caused widespread damage to local industries.