One woman has died on the Italian island of Ischia following a 3.6-magnitude earthquake, the ANSA news agency said last night, quoting the local Carabinieri police force.

The victim reportedly was killed by debris falling from a church, ANSA said.

"It was really strong, and really scary," Donatella Migliaccio, a local councillor, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, DPA.

According to RAI public state television, three other people were injured during the quake and a further 20 are as yet unaccounted for.

The historically significant Ischia Island lies about 55 kilometres south-west of the city of Naples