Central Italy has been hit a magnitude 6.6 earthquake around 170 kilometres north of Rome in the commune of Norcia and province of Perugia. There have as yet been no reported deaths. The same region was struck by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in August, that left nearly 300 people dead.

Where has been hit?

The epicentre was close to Norcia, in the south-eastern corner of Umbria, the same area hit by two earthquakes last week as well as the quake in August.

The area is famous for its cured meats and 14th century St Benedict's Cathedral, which collapsed during the earthquake.

Remarkably, there have been no reports of deaths, however, around 20 people were injured and as many as 3,000 have been left homeless.

Many people appeared to have been spared from the impact of the latest quake because they had been sleeping in cars or moved to shelters or hotels in other areas after a pair of strong jolts on Wednesday.

Tremors were felt in Rome, 100 miles away, with cracks appearing in the city's 4th century church commonly known as St Paul's Outside the Walls. St Peter's Basilica and other historic buildings at the Vatican were checked and given the all clear for pilgrims and tourists.

Umbria's hill-top towns are a popular draw Credit: Fotolia/AP

Are these area popular with tourists?

While some of the towns affected do not stand out on the tourist map, Umbria as a whole is popular with British holidaymakers as Italy’s “green heart”.

It was once regarded as the less alluring sister of Tuscany but has raised its profile in recent years, with its intimate and easily-visited hill towns of Perugia (the capital), Assisi and Todi contributing to its appeal.

“Umbria is a region where the food, wine, art, culture and architecture are the equal of any in Italy,” writes Telegraph Travel’s expert there, Tim Jepson. “It’s hard to put your finger on what sets Umbria apart – some quality to the light, a haze to the hills, a certain gentleness to landscape – but once you’ve visited you’ll understand, and wonder how this varied and beautiful region ever languished in its neighbour's shadow.”

Il Cuore Verde d'Italia, anche se ferito, batte ancora più forte.#greenbeatstrong pic.twitter.com/lWYOG4tUX8 — Umbria Tourism (@UmbriaTourism) October 31, 2016

Umbria's tourism body today tweeted an image of the region, with the caption: "The Green Heart of Italy, though wounded, beats stronger."

After August's quake, the mayor of Norcia said that there had been damage to some of the town's historic buildings. Today, he will be surveying the damage to the collapsed St Benedict's basilica.

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The town itself is popular with visitors for the quality of its pork, boar and truffles.

"Norcia still strikes the right balance between tourism and authentic Italian life," writes Abigail Butcher. "The region is famous for its salami, black truffle and wild boar and pork products, so visitors come here to eat – but also to walk. The rolling mountains of the National Park offer endless opportunities to hike, bike and horse-ride right on the doorstep."

Some three million Britons visit Italy every year, with the capital Rome, where the earthquake was also felt, high on the priority list for many travellers. The Eternal City is celebrating a Holy Year of Mercy – a Roman Catholic festival of repentance – this year.

Have airports and roads been affected?

Towns in central Italy hit by the quake will begin the task of clearing rubbles from the streets, while a number of roads in the region have been blocked by rockslides.

“The whole town has collapsed here, there’s nothing left,” said Marco Rinaldi, the Mayor of Ussita, which was also hit by last week’s earthquakes. “It is a disaster. I was sleeping in my car and I saw hell.”

The metro in Rome was halted this morning.

There was no disruption caused at the airports, in both Perugia and Rome.

Umbria's emergency services are assessing the damage across the region Credit: Getty

What to do if you are there?

Italian authorities are still warning of the risk of after-shocks in the area.

Italy’s Civil Protection agency has issued advice on what to do if caught in an earthquake:

If you are indoors

Find a shelter under a beam, in the doorway or by a load-bearing wall.

Watch out for things that could fall and hit you (plaster, ceilings, windows, furniture, etc.).

Pay attention to the stairs: in general they are not very resistant and can be damaged.

Avoid taking the lift: it can get stuck.

If you are outdoors

Move away from buildings, trees, lampposts, power lines: you could be struck by vases, tiles and other materials that can fall.

Pay attention to other possible consequences of the earthquake: collapse of bridges, landslides, gas leaks, etc.

After a quake, it said: "Make sure the state of health of the people around you and, if necessary, be the First Aider. Come out with caution, wearing shoes: you may get hurt in the streets with broken glass. Limit, as much as possible, the use of the phone. Limit the use of the car to avoid obstructing the passage of emergency vehicles. Reach the waiting areas provided by the Civil Protection Plan of your Municipality."

The British Foreign Office is advising anyone affected to follow the advice of local authorities. It said: “If you’re in the affected area, you should follow the advice of the local authorities. For more about what to do before, during, and after an earthquake visit the Italian Civil Protection website.”

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Can I cancel my trip?

In short, no.

But if your trip has been dramatically altered by the earthquakes, then your tour operator will be contractually obliged to provide suitable alternative arrangements or offer a refund. If you simply want to cancel your trip out of choice, it is unlikely you will be entitled to a refund.

Contact your tour operator, accommodation or your insurer to discuss your options.

Are quakes in Italy unusual?

“Many parts of Italy lie on a major seismic fault line,” the Foreign Office says. “Minor tremors and earthquakes are almost a daily occurrence.”

In 2009 a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in the Aquila region, which was also felt in the Italian capital, left more than 300 dead.

Another quake hit the northern Emilia Romagna region in May 2012, when two violent shocks 10 days apart left 23 people dead and 14,000 others homeless.

Damage from 2009's L'Aquila earthquake Credit: Getty

The Civil Protection agency said: “Over the past thousand years, some 3,000 earthquakes have provoked serious and less serious damages. Almost 300 of them (with a magnitude higher than 5,5) had destructive effects and one every ten years has catastrophic effects, with an energy comparable to the L’Aquila earthquake of 2009.

"Any Italian municipality can be affected by earthquake effects, [but] the strongest earthquakes are focused in the following areas: Northern-Eastern Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto), Western Liguria, Northern Apennines (from Garfagnana to the Rimini area), and, above all, across the Central and Southern Apennines, in Calabria and Eastern Sicily.”

In the wake of the 2009 earthquake, the Italian government launched a national plan to combat the effects of seismic activity.