Earthquake shatters Italy

The ground vibrations were felt from Genoa in the western peninsula through to Venice in the east and from Mont Blanc in the north down to the French border. According to the authorities in Rome, the epicentre of the seism has been located to the region of Brescia (close to the towns of Treiso Bresciano, Tuscolano Maderno and Gardone Riviera).

Some buildings around Lake Garda have been damaged, and some abandoned farms have fallen down. Several hospitals in the region were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Italy is accustomed to earth trembles, although more usually in central and southern Italy than in the north. The last major earthquake felt in Italy was recorded in 2002, where a tremor in the south caused a school to collapse and the death of 30 people, mainly all children trapped in the rubble. The last major earthquake in the northern part of Italy took place in 1976 in the area of Frioul. This major disaster resulted in 976 deaths and led to 70,000 being made homeless.