A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck the area around Naples overnight, causing one light injury and some structural damage, and triggering panic among several residents, Italian officials said on Thursday, writes al-Arabiya News.

The main quake was recorded at a depth of 2.5 km, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. It was followed by a series of smaller tremors, a so-called seismic swarm.

Photos and videos posted on social media show cars covered in stones and debris, cracked houses, and panicked residents pouring into the streets in the middle of the night.

One person was injured by the collapse of a false ceiling, the civil protection agency said, which also reported minor damage.

The fire service said the injury was not serious, adding that it was carrying out checks across the areas of Bacoli, Bagnoli, and Pozzuoli. In Bagnoli, a seaside district in western Naples, schools were ordered to close on Thursday by city authorities, who said waiting areas had also been set up for residents afraid to go home.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was constantly monitoring the situation and was in contact with the relevant officials.