Georgia’s Foreign Ministry opens hotlines after today’s powerful earthquake in Italy

Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has today re-announced two hotline numbers for Georgian citizens in Italy and Georgia in the wake of a powerful earthquake near Norcia, central Italy today. 

The Ministry said no deaths of Georgian citizens had been reported following the earthquake. 

The hotline in Rome at Georgia’s Embassy to Italy is: (+39 333) 887 91 23. 

The public can also phone another hotline, operating within the Consulate Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, if they need assistance or support. This number is: (+995 32) 294 50 50. 

According to the BBC, the 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck on Sunday morning, injuring several people and damaging buildings. 

The earthquake is understood to be the most violent in decades and it rocked the same area of central and southern Italy that was hit by quake in August and a pair of aftershocks in recent days. 

Residents already rattled by recent trembling of the earth rushed out of their homes and into the streets after being roused from their beds by Sunday's 7:40am earthquake, the UK media reported. 

Meanwhile the United States (US) Geological Survey said tremors were felt in the capital Rome, and as far away as Venice in the north. It was at a depth of only 1.5km.