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Earthquakes in central Italy- Umbria

(11 Posts)
granjura Wed 24-Aug-16 09:20:48

Off to our favourite part of Tuscany next week- in the South East corner away from the masses of tourists- but very close to Orvieto and the Umbria border. We've been every year for past 10 years apart from last year- so can't wait.

We will be right on the edge of the earhquake zones- but always visit Umbria and other little towns around- and those poor people already suffered much loss in 97. My heart goes out to them. Strong quakes have been felt all the way to Rome.
E-mailed the place where we stay to ask if they are OK- awaiting reply.

It's a wonderful place btw, with a spa town 5 mins away and views to die for. www.ilpoggio.net

fiorentina51 Wed 24-Aug-16 12:45:18

It reminds me of when I visited my grandmother in Tuscany back in the summer of 1980. We were out for a walk and the afternoon and the weather was still and hot and there wasn't a sound. Nonna muttered, "earthquake weather" and we chuckled. She had the last laugh though as there was an earthquake that night that we slept through. It's epicentre was about 20 miles away and a few houses collapsed and one man was killed. Granny obviously knew best!

granjura Wed 24-Aug-16 15:54:14

where abouts was that?

fiorentina51 Wed 24-Aug-16 16:04:45

Correction, it was the summer of 79 when my son was 18 months old. I think that's why we slept through it!
It was in an area called Valdarno, midway between Florence and Siena. I still have cousins living there.

Stansgran Wed 24-Aug-16 16:55:07

Earthquakes in Myanmar too. Some of those beautiful temples in Bagan have crumbled.

hildajenniJ Wed 24-Aug-16 17:13:11

fiorentina, was that the year that Sorrento was damaged? My DH and I honeymooned there in 1982 and there was evidence of earthquake damage all around, with reconstruction work and huge cracks in the fabric of the building of some hotels. Italy is a beautiful country, and the people are lovely. I feel very sad for those caught in this morning's earthquake.

fiorentina51 Wed 24-Aug-16 18:57:04

The epicentre was just over 100 miles away from my family but the magnitude was strong enough for them to feel it. Thankfully, all OK in their area.
Hildajennij, There were quite a few severe earthquakes in Italy in the mid to late 70's, so if the damage you saw wasn't caused by the one I experienced, it was probably one of those. ?

numberplease Thu 25-Aug-16 22:03:55

Granjura, did you hear from Italy, are they OK?

granjura Thu 25-Aug-16 22:08:22

the owner at Il Poggio replied to my mail- saying they are totally unaffected and all is fine. No more news from our friends in Bevagna- which is vey close to the severely damaged area.

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 25-Aug-16 22:24:49

Those poor people. Must be an horrific way to die. So dreadful. And so completely out of man's control.

Christinefrance Fri 26-Aug-16 08:44:21

An horrific thing to happen, completely decimated a beautiful area and a dreadful death toll. Wish there was some way to help as well as money, nature is so cruel as well as beautiful.