Milan, May 29: An earthquake measuring 5.8 on Richter scale struck near Modena in northern Italy on Tuesday. According to police sources, death toll reached 10 and likely to rise as several people were reportedly trapped in debris.

It is second major earthquake in a week period.

"The situation is very serious, some people are stuck under the rubble," SkyTG24 quoted the mayor of San Felice sul Panaro, Alberto Silvestri,as saying.

Prime Minister Mario Monti in a statement said, "I want to assure everyone that the state will do all that it must do, all that is possible to do, as fast as it can to guarantee the return to normality in a region so special, so important, so productive for Italy."

Earlier on May 20, seven people were killed in a earthquake of almost same magnitude. Around 7,000 people are still living in tents as their homes were damaged in the quake.

Rescue team faced problems in its operation due to disruption in mobile phone networks.

According to media reports, train services around Bologna, near Modena, were also disrupted.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of Tuesday's quake was less than 30 km from Modena.