Naples earthquake: Tourist hotspot rocked by 'one of strongest ever tremors'

The 4.6 magnitude tremor was the most violent in 40 years in the Flegrean area, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

At least three other more minor quakes followed, recording magnitudes of two or below.

The epicentre is located near Bacoli, approximately 10 miles west of Naples.

Luigi Manzoni, mayor of the nearby town of Pozzuoli, said: "The earthquake we warned of was strong, but at the moment there are no reports of damage. The epicentre was in Bacoli but we are facing a situation to monitor hour after hour. Our volunteers are already out in town checking the situation closely."

Trains in the region have been suspended out of precaution, with Naples' subway system also out of order.

Naples is also said to be experiencing a power outage across the city.

Italy is highly prone to earthquakes due to its geological position.

It is one of the most seismically active countries in Europe due to its being at the convergence of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.

The UK Government warns that many parts of Italy lie on a major seismic fault line, which means that minor tremors and earthquakes happen regularly.

Social media images show a collapsed cliff at Punta Pennata where debris fell into the sea following the quake.

A mild tremor, with a magnitude of 1.5, was felt on June 25 at 5pm in the Campi Flegrei area, according to local reports.

A second, slightly stronger tremor was recorded two days later, on June 27, in the same region, registering at 1.8 on the Richter scale.

Local sources describe the event as "a sudden blow" and "a fast vibration".