An earthquake in the Italian region of Tuscany sparked the brief evacuation of the cathedral and closure of museums Wednesday in the tourist hotspot of Siena.

The 3.7 magnitude quake, with an epicentre in Poggibonsi near Siena, was also felt in Florence and Empoli -- and hit shortly after the region tested an emergency alert system.

The tremor sent people rushing out of buildings and into the streets in Siena, famous for its artistic heritage and for the Palio, a spectacular horse race that pits neighbourhoods against each other twice a year.

The cathedral was evacuated for about an hour, its press office told AFP.

The quake caused bits of plaster to fall off the famous monument, according to Italian media reports, but the cathedral's press office would not confirm.

The council ordered all museums closed for the remainder of Wednesday and Thursday, though it said there was no apparent damage to buildings.

Siena's historic centre is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Italy is prone to earthquakes. Deadly quakes in 2009 and 2016 killed approximately 300 people each.

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