Deadly earthquake rocks northern Italy

At least seven people have been killed and up to 50 others injured in a 6.0-magnitude earthquake near the northern Italian city of Bologna, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

The strong quake struck at 4:04am local time (02:04 GMT) on Sunday in the country's industrial heartland while most people were sleeping, prompting thousands to run into the streets in panic.

Hospitals were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Al Jazeera's Sabina Castelfranco, reporting from the worst affected town of Finale Emilia, said: "Scared people are out on the street and have refused to go back to their homes."

"There are apparently 13,000 people that have been displaced, and it is unclear whether there is going to be more victims found," she said.