A magnitude-6.0 earthquake has rocked a swathe of northern Italy, causing considerable damage.

The quake struck in the early hours of the morning, about 35km (22 miles) north of the city of Bologna.

Many historic buildings across Emilia Romagna were destroyed, with the government describing the damage to the region's cultural heritage as "significant".

The tremor caused thousands of people to flee into the streets. In Finale Emilia, an old clock tower was left standing precariously...

...but a new aftershock completely brought it crashing down later.

Among the dead were overnight workers at a ceramic factory that collapsed in Sant'Agostino, near Ferrara.

There are fears that a number of people may still be buried under the rubble.

More than 3,000 residents in Finale Emilia and other towns have been evacuated to shelters.

Police and emergency workers are on the scene, in a country used to earthquakes.

Terrified residents tried to salvage whatever they could.