\ Rome, Oct 26 (AFP) A strong earthquake hit central Italy\today, and was felt in the capital Rome.\ Italy\\’s national geophysics institute registered a 5.4\magnitude quake at a depth of nine kilometres in the Macerata\area of the central region of Marche.\ The US Geological Survey confirmed the magnitude,\locating the epicentre as seven kilometres south-southwest of\the village of Visso in Macerata. (AFP)\PMS\