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EARTHQUAKES

Central Italy rocked by strong 4.8 earthquake

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck north of Florence in the early hours of Monday, causing little damage but sending shaken residents running into the streets.

Published: 18 September 2023 10:12 CEST
An earthquake that hit central Italy on Monday was strongly felt in Florence.
British nationals who never considered applying for an Italian passport are now doing so to reclaim their pre-Brexit rights. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP.

Schools were closed and high speed train services briefly interrupted in some areas while authorities conducted safety checks.

The earthquake was recorded at 5.10am local time and was measured at 4.8 on the Richter scale, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

Its epicentre was near Marradi, a town of about 3,000 residents within the Apennine mountain range just 42km north of the city of Florence.

“The fear was powerful and strong, there are many citizens still on the streets,” Marradi mayor Tommaso Triberti told Sky Tg24.

“We are proceeding with the checks, the schools are closed. At the moment the reports are of minor damage,” he said.

The earthquake was also felt in parts of the neighbouring Emilia-Romagna region, particularly in the provinces of Forlì-Cesena and Ravenna around the Apennines, Emilia-Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini wrote on his Facebook page.

Firefighters wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that frightened residents had been calling emergency services but “no personal injuries have been reported at this time”.

Schools were closed as a precautionary measure on Monday in Marradi and the nearby towns of Borgo San Lorenzo and Firenzuola to allow technicians to perform checks.

Triberti told Rainews24 television that firefighters were conducting checks inside private homes.

“There is a lot of concern. All the people are in the street but no particular damage has been reported,” he said.

A 4.5-magnitude earthquake struck nearby Mugello in 2019, again causing minimal damage but cracking the facade of a 17th-century church.

The town of Mugello was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1919, one of the century’s worst, killing about 100 people.

The central Apennines are at high risk of seismic activity. 

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EARTHQUAKES

Italy’s Siena province shaken by 3.4 earthquake

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook the Siena province, central Tuscany, on Tuesday evening, resulting in no damage but causing residents to run out into the streets.

Published: 17 April 2024 09:50 CEST
Italy’s Siena province shaken by 3.4 earthquake

The quake, which occurred at 7.49pm local time, did not result in any damage but caused “panic” among residents, with many rushing out into the streets, Tuscany’s president Eugenio Giani said.

The epicentre was located four kilometres east of the town of Poggibonsi, in the Siena province, at a depth of around 8.3 kilometres, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

The quake was initially estimated to have been between 3.2 and 3.7 on the Richter magnitude scale before official data placed it at 3.4. 

Poggibonsi mayor David Bussagli said the quake “was felt distinctly” but “no damage to people or things” had been reported.

The tremor was also felt by residents in Florence, Arezzo and Pisa, according to local media reports.

READ ALSO: What to do in an earthquake in Italy

Tremors are not new to the area. A 3.5 quake struck the city of Siena, which is famous for its artistic heritage and the Palio horse race, last February, causing local museums, schools and universities to close for a day. 

Italy is among the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe as the Italian peninsula lies right where the African tectonic plate converges with the Eurasian plate, meaning that the country is “seismic in its entirety”, according to the country’s Civil Protection Department.

READ ALSO: Which parts of Italy have the highest risk of earthquakes?

Italy has been hit by more than 30,000 medium to strong earthquakes over the past 2,500 years, and seven earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 or more in the 20th century alone.

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