Residents of Naples and its surrounding areas abandoned their homes and camped out in parks and cars after a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the Italian city early Thursday morning, rattling nerves after weeks of intense seismic activity.

Many people in and around the Italian city spend the night on the streets and in their cars, fearing aftershocks.

The southern Italian city of Naples was struck by a 4.4-magnitude quake early Thursday that caused only minor damage and sent 11 people to hospital, officials said.

Residents in Naples and nearby towns spent a tense night in the open early on Thursday (March 13) after an overnight earthquake jolted southern Italy, shaking buildings, cutting power, and sending frightened locals onto the streets.

The quake was the strongest in recorded history around the Phlegrean Fields, a sprawling area of ancient volcanoes that encompasses a large part of the Naples metropolitan area.