UPDATE: 30 October, 2016 – Another strong earthquake, magnitude of on 6.5 Mw scale, hit the same area today. Aftershocks, some over 4.o (ML – Richter scale) in magnitude, are continuing.
Italy’s media is reporting that buildings have collapsed in the area. The church of St. Benedict in Norcia is no more. Rescuers are at work in the area to see whether people are under rubble – some have been freed. Injuries are being reported. There are fears that as many as 100,000 people may be displaced by the recent earthquake activity in central Italy.
Injuries and loss of life should be minimal as unsafe buildings were evacuated after the August 24 earthquake.
Italian geophysical activity monitoring body INGV has not ruled out the possibility of other major earthquakes occurring but has pointed out that earthquakes are impossible to predict.
Further updates will be added.
End of Update###
After the earthquake of August 24, 2016 wreaked havoc and caused nearly 300 deaths, two new tremors, 5.4 and 5.9 magnitudes, have hit in more or less the same area of Italy around 75 km (47 mi) southeast of Perugia.
At 7:10 Italian time today, the area around Italy’s province of Macerata in Italy’s Le Marche region was shaken by a 5.4 magnitude tremor.
Italy’s media has been reporting that buildings have collapsed and that one person has been injured by falling debris. Then, at 9:18, a second, and stronger, tremor hit. The magnitude of this tremor with its epicenter near Castelsantangelo Sul Nera, was 5.9.
The situation with regard to t0 casualties and extent of the damage to buildings caused is still unclear.
UPDATE: 27 October, 2016 – While there are reports of collapsed buildings, so far no lives have been lost. Media reports state that two people have been injured. Aftershocks are continuing with two of more than magnitude 4.0 (Richter scale) overnight: one of 4.1 and another of 4.4. Further details of aftershocks can be found on the INGV – Italian earthquake monitoring service – here: Italy Earthquake List
The map below shows the location of Castelsantangelo Sul Nera in Italy – the northern most red point of interest indicator on the map below. The epicenter of the 6.2 magnitude August 24 earthquake is shown by the southern most point of interest indicator on the map below. Note how close the August 24 and October 26 earthquakes were.
[mappress mapid=”10″]
Note: To get a better idea of the locations affected by the earthquakes, you can zoom in and out of the map using the “+” and “-” buttons down in the right hand corner of the map.
Video Showing Earthquake Damage Caused to Amatrice
Damage compounded by earthquakes after August 24th.
Schools Closed in Earthquake Area
Schools in the area of the latest earthquakes to hit Italy have been closed. Trains may not be running owing to checks being carried out on rail lines and bridges. At one point there was a brief power cut.
Roads in the area may be damaged.
If you are in the area, try to keep mobile phone usage to a minimum to keep lines of communication open for emergency and rescue services.
Macerata council is advising those who wish to spend the night in their cars to head for the following locations:
- The Villa Potenza exhibition center
- Valleverde Stadium Oasi area
- Sforzacosta industrial area
Both tremors were felt in Rome and there have been reports of damage to buildings in Italy’s capital though these are unconfirmed.
Residents in the earthquake struck areas are said to be sleeping in their cars.
Embassy and consulate contact details.
US Embassy Rome
Call the US Embassy’s earthquake response center at 06 4674 2944 or email: [email protected]
Armenian Embassy
Hotline for Armenians +39 0687 7886 54
UK Embassy in Rome
If you’re in Italy and you urgently need help, call +39 06 4220 0001
If you’re in the UK and concerned about a British national in Italy, call 020 7008 1500
Others will be added when they become available.
This post will be updated further information. Embassy and consulate contact details will be added once they become available.
