New earthquakes in central Italy

(ANSA) - Rome, January 18 - Four strong earthquakes rocked central Italy on Wednesday and three livestock farmers have been reported missing after the tremors.
    The alarm for the farmers was sounded by friends who were unable to contact them via mobile phone. A great deal of snow has fallen in the area, near to Arquata del Tronto, and there are fears that structures may have collapsed with the quakes.
    Another 12 farmers who had been reported missing have been tracked down. Central Italy suffered a series of devastating earthquakes last year, including one in August that claimed around 300 lives.
    Misery in the areas affected by the quakes has been compounded by the recent wave of snow and freezing weather. The first quake took place at around 10:25 and rocked Lazio, including Rome, Abruzzo and Marche. Another strong earthquake took place at 11:14 and another still at 11:26 and then one came after shortly after 14:30.
    The first and third earthquakes were magnitude 5.3 and the second was 5.4, according to initial estimates by the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV). The epicentres of those quakes were in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo.
    The tremors were felt as far away as Ravenna in the north and Foggia in the south. Parts of some structures collapsed, including the bell tower of the Sant'Agostino church in Amatrice, the town worst-hit by the August quake. Some Rome metro stations were evacuated as a precautionary measure and services suspended, although trains have started running again on the A line. Several schools in many areas were closed too.
    Civil Protection Chief Fabrizio Curcio said that assessing the situation after the new series of earthquakes in central Italy was difficult due to snow in many areas. "The situation is quite complicated," Curcio told Sky television. "We are receiving reports from all over the nation. Obviously the quake was felt clearly all over the centre, as far as the capital. "At the end of the checks we'll be able to say whether we've had particularly difficult situations or not. It has been snowing without stop in that area for hours and it will continue to do so for the next few hours". The civil protection department in Marche on Wednesday announced an alarm for possible avalanches due to the heavy snowfall and the quakes.