Two strong earthquakes in Central Italy, within a couple of hours. The first, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale at just 9 kilometers deep, occurred at 19,11 with epicenter in the province of Macerata, between Castelsantangelo sul Nera, Visso, Ussita and Preci, a few tens of kilometers from Perugia and distinctly felt in Rome, L'Aquila and Terni.
Even stronger was the second one, which took place at 21,18 and had a magnitude of 5.9at the same epicenter. The latter was felt even more clearly also in the capital, where many people took to the streets in fear while the Farnesina and the Palazzo della Regione had already been evacuated previously. At the time of writing, the Civil Protection reports no victims, but numerous collapses and at least two people injured in the Marche region, probably in Visso, in the province of Macerata. In Norcia the partially collapsed church of Santa Maria delle Grazie was damaged.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Interior Minister Angelino Alfano are in constant contact with the head of Civil Protection Fabrizio Curcio, while the Minister of Infrastructures, Graziano Delrio, confirmed that - at the moment - there are no victims: "The Civil Protection with which we are in contact continues to say that we only have news of collapses". Even the carabinieri confirmed that there were no deaths or serious injuries.
“The most critical situation is in Castelsantangelo sul Nera, where there is no electricity. We have sent lighthouse towers and men to the site”, said the head of the regional civil protection of the Marches, Cesare Spuri. Problems also on the Via Salaria in the Arquata del Tronto area, a municipality already hit by the earthquake of August 24 and which is a few kilometers from the epicenter. The road was then closed, while collapses and fear were also recorded in the other municipalities affected by the earthquake two months ago, Accumoli and Amatrice.
“There are collapses, but of buildings that are already damaged. We are touring the area. Certainly fear awakens, this new shock is weighing on us,” he said the mayor of Amatrice Sergio Pirozzi. No one was injured even in Arquata: “So much fear, so far there are no injuries, even if there have been some detachments of cornices from buildings already damaged by the earthquake of 24 August. The shock was strong, we heard a roar”, said the deputy mayor Michele Franchi.
For Alessandro Amato of Ingv “this earthquake is somehow linked to that of August 24th in Amatrice. It is in fact located in the already active area. This is probably the activation of a new fault”. What occurred today between Perugia and Macerata was the strongest shock unleashed by the same fault system that caused the magnitude earthquake of 24 August.
The airports of the regions affected by the earthquake in the Marches have not suffered damage and are operating regularly. Tomorrow, Thursday 27 October, only to allow for checks on the buildings, the educational activities of all schools of all levels will remain closed: the decision is already official in the municipalities of Teramo, Perugia, Terni and Ascoli Piceno. Here you are useful numbers to use in case of need: National Civil Protection 800.840.840, Lazio Region Operations Room 803.555.
