An earthquake has hit a popular tourist destination in central Italy on Monday afternoon.

The natural phenomenon reportedly struck Naples just before 1pm local time at a depth of about three miles.

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

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

An earthquake has hit a popular tourist destination in central Italy on Monday afternoon

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 epicenter 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.

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

It's 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.