Tsunami alert for Italy after series of earthquakes off the coast

 A Tsunami alert has been issued off the coast of Italy after a series of tremors were detected. 

At least 12 quakes were recorded with magnitudes of up to 5.0 near Sicily on Friday, and the epicentre was less than 60 miles from Palermo, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. 

Schools in Palermo and Messina have been evacuated as a precaution, while the head of the Sicilian Civil Protection, Salvo Cocina, ordered an immediate state of alert for the affected areas. 

There have been no reports of damage.  

This is a breaking news story; more to follow.