Earthquake hits southern Italy, hospital evacuated

ROME (REUTERS) - A magnitude 5 earthquake struck north of Cosenza in southern Italy early on Friday and a hospital was evacuated after cracks were found in its structure.

The quake hit at five minutes past midnight about 6.3 km underground, north of Cosenza in the Pollino mountains area on the border of the southern regions of Calabria and Basilicata. At least 14 other tremors followed the initial earthquake.

A hospital in the small town of Mormanno was evacuated as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported, an Italian police official said.

Italian news agencies reported scenes of panic in the hospital and said many inhabitants of Mormanno and surrounding towns had come out in the streets. Police and fire fighters are surveying the area for further damage, officials said.