Alert – Italy: Three Earthquakes Strike Central Italy (January 18, 2017)

January 18, 2017

Alert – Italy: Three Earthquakes Strike Central Italy

A trio of earthquakes has struck central Italy in the same region devastated by last August’s deadly earthquake that killed 300. The earthquake was felt in Rome, where its underground was closed as a precaution.

According to BBC:

Central Italy has been struck by a series of earthquakes, as the region shivers in freezing temperatures.

The biggest 5.7-magnitude quake struck at 10:14 local time (09:14 GMT), with others before and after. They hit an area devastated by quakes in August.

Shockwaves were felt in Rome, 100km (60 miles) to the south-west.

Almost 300 people died in the region around Amatrice last year. But Italy’s PM Paolo Gentiloni said this time it seemed there were no deaths.

Nonetheless, he said in Berlin after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, it was a “difficult day”, reported AP news agency.

The latest tremors mainly affected three neighbouring regions – Abruzzo, Lazio and Marche.

Two quakes of more than magnitude 5 hit within an hour of the first, and seismic organisations have recorded strong aftershocks since in the epicentre area some 10km south of Amatrice.

They follow some 36 hours of steady snowfall in mountainous areas around Amatrice and Norcia, which is said to be hampering emergency services’ attempts to reach affected areas. In some areas, avalanche warnings have been issued.

Schools that were not already closed in the worst-hit areas were evacuated. Rome’s underground system was shut as a safety precaution.