Modena, Mirandola, Cavezzo earthquake: Deadly earthquake, aftershocks hit northern Italy

ROME -- At least eight people were killed in an earthquake in northern Italy on Tuesday, civil protection authorities said, predicting the number would rise.

The earthquake came nine days after a quake in the same region killed seven people.

Tuesday's earthquake was centered in the province of Modena, near Bologna. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo were closest to the epicenter, civil protection authorities said.

Some train services have been suspended for safety reasons, and high speed trains from Bologna to Milan and Florence, among others, are running at slower speeds, train operators said. There are no trains stuck on tracks, Trenitalia said.

There have been at least three aftershocks since the Tuesday morning earthquake, the Italian geological service said.