1 dead as 3.6 earthquake shatters buildings near Naples, Italy (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

An earthquake with a reported magnitude of 3.6 struck a popular tourist spot near the Ischia volcano in Italy on Monday evening. Images from the area show people being helped out of badly damaged buildings.

A number of people have been injured or are missing, local authorities say.

A local woman has been killed in the earthquake, Giuseppe Silvitelli, deputy mayor of Casamicciola, told Rai News, adding that the body is lying under the rubble and has yet to be retrieved.

Rescuers say the quake may have left more casualties, as it caused multiple buildings to collapse.

Three children have been retrieved from the rubble in Casamicciola Terme amid a massive search and rescue operation, local newspaper Il Dispari reported. Firefighters and rescuers are continuing to search for people presumed buried under collapsed buildings.

Meanwhile, local authorities have dispatched a ferry and helicopters to evacuate people willing to leave the island, La Repubblica reported. Angelo Borrelli, head of the local civil protection department, said another two ferries, capable of transporting up to 650 passengers each, will also be sent to Ischia. Several injured people have already been airlifted to Naples for medical care.

The quake was recorded at about 9pm local time at a depth of 10km off the Italian coast, not far from the city of Naples, local media report.

In its Casamicciola commune, "an inhabited building collapsed in Maio Square," Italian Rai News reported, citing local officials. A church was also destroyed.

"There are several injured and some people are missing," Rai News quoted the Casamicciola deputy mayor as saying.

Electrical blackouts have been reported in the Naples area, and people have been reportedly evacuated from "many hotels."

Carabinieri, police and firefighters are operating in the affected areas, with local authorities describing the effects of the tremors as "very strong."

The volcanic island of Ischia was last hit by a devastating earthquake back in 1883, leaving more than 2,000 people dead. The disaster also destroyed the towns of Casamicciola Terme and Lacco Ameno.

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