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15 killed, thousands displaced after earthquake in northern Italy
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
May 30th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
May 30th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
At least 15 people have been killed and 12 remain missing after a
5.8-magnitude earthquake in northern Italy that displaced 14,000 people
from their homes, Italian authorities said. The earthquake came nine
days after a 6.0-magnitude quake in the same region killed seven people.
Dozens of aftershocks have followed. Italy's Institute of Geology said the aftershocks measured 5.3 and 5.1 magnitude.
The most recent earthquake was centered in the province of Modena, near Bologna. The towns of Mirandola and Cavezzo were closest to the epicenter.
Eyewitnesses reported on Twitter that Cavezzo was about 70 percent destroyed. Video streams broadcast live from the town show a number of damaged buildings and some structures destroyed. The top of one church steeple was missing.
"People are very scared. It's been shaking nonstop for the past week," journalist Andrea Vogt, who was near the epicenter reported.
"We don't know how many are still trapped," she told CNN. "Telephone lines are overloaded. It's difficult to get through to emergency personnel."
The temblors have come as "a real shock" to locals, as no one could remember so many quakes in such a short period of time.
"Factories were full. Many of the workers were working on repairs to the already damaged buildings," Vogt said.
"Damages are very serious. The old centers of many villages have been closed down to (the) public and many little villages have been completely evacuated," she said.
More tent camps are being set up to house those forced from their homes and many hotels and campsites have also offered space to those in need.
"We need tents. The number of displaced is increasing. It will take time to check if homes are safe, and also people are terrified and don't want to sleep in their houses," she said.
"We had enormous damage to all our factories, and there will be dramatic consequences on employment."
"The state will do all what needs to be done, in the quickest way, to assure the return to normal life to such a special and productive region of the country," Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said in a televised statement.
"We've been having many quakes, so it's not safe to go back to work. We are having problems with communications, so it's not easy to get in contact with somebody by phone," eyewitness Violetta Galia said. "I don't feel safe -- I need to go away, I don't want to live (in) Bologna. If I don't leave Bologna, I will never feel safe because we are still having quakes every three or five minutes."
At least 40 other aftershocks most shallow and with a magnitude of 2 to 3, shook the region Tuesday, according to the Italian geological service.
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.