313. Italy- Earthquake: A Week Later
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| Clock Tower in Finale Emilia |
A week last Sunday the
earth in Northern Italy, a few miles north of Bologna, the earth trembled and
frail historic buildings that had weathered centuries of existence this time
did not make it, they now lie wounded and crumbled to the ground.
The first tremor which
sent terrified people out in the street came at just after 4 a.m. About an hour
and a half later the earth trembled again, the tremors could be felt as far
away as Milano in the west and Venice in the east. It was during the second earth tremor that my
dogs, Billy and Berrilla started barking and howling desperately as if the
house was on fire. I woke up and let
them out. It was only later that I
realized there had been an earthquake and even though I didn’t feel it, many other
people did and certainly my dogs did.
Modena and Ferrara,
north of Bologna and about 200 klm from Venice are the places most hit with 6
victims. Thankfully, that’s not many for
the damage and panic it has caused, it could well have been more. Still there are six people who are being
mourned and several who are injured.
If the casualty are
few, the damage is vast. Factories have
collapsed. Historic buildings, some of
which have been there for a thousand years are now gone and that is quite a
blow to Italy’s cultural heritage but will be felt more by the inhabitants of
those towns who have grown up with them.
The earth has been ripped apart practically and devastated vast areas of
agricultural land destroying not only crops but huge numbers of cattle and
other farm animals.
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| Parmisan Cheese damaged |
And as if this was not
enough 10% of the world produce of Parmisan cheese came crashing to the ground,
splitting and damaging the huge wheels of the celebrated cheese which sell at
eight hundred dollars each... but those ones, of course, not any more.
Added to which, Italy
is already indebted deeply, and this will only aggravate an already limping
economy in a full world financial crises.
Yet we must strive on... all of us.
Tuesday 29th May- New earthquake tremour same intensity as the one on 20 May-
At 9 a.m I was wobbling about in the house as if dizzy- I didn't know why, then I realized there had been another earthquake.
Wednesday 30th May: 26 dead and 350 injured. Apart from churches and historical buildings the greatest damage was caused in the industrial area where the factories and workshops simply collapsed to the ground burying the workers.
While a priest went back into the church to rescue a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes since the Parishioners were particularly attached to it, a beam fell on top of him- he died on his way to hospital.
Tuesday 29th May- New earthquake tremour same intensity as the one on 20 May-
At 9 a.m I was wobbling about in the house as if dizzy- I didn't know why, then I realized there had been another earthquake.
Wednesday 30th May: 26 dead and 350 injured. Apart from churches and historical buildings the greatest damage was caused in the industrial area where the factories and workshops simply collapsed to the ground burying the workers.
While a priest went back into the church to rescue a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes since the Parishioners were particularly attached to it, a beam fell on top of him- he died on his way to hospital.
