Italy's Chianti Country Hit by Earthquakes

Several mini-earthquakes with a maximum magnitude of 4.1 shook Italy's famous Chianti wine region Friday.

The tremors were sufficiently powerful to result in homes, schools and offices being evacuated but no serious damage or injuries were reported.

The National Institute for Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV) said there had been more than 30 tremors over 24 hours with the strongest, measuring 3.8 and 4.1, registered mid-morning on Friday.

The epicenter of the strongest quake was nine kilometers (six miles) below ground close to Greve in Chianti, one of the best known wine villages in an area of rolling hills around and between the historic cities of Florence and Siena.

The area lies in the foothills of the central section of the Apennine mountains, which run like a spine down the center of Italy and are subject to significant seismic activity.