bvlenci

For the past two days, there have been frequent, although not major, earthquakes in the area of Florence and the Chianti region. There have been no injuries reported, and just minor damage to buildings. The largest tremor measured 4.1 on the Richter scale.

The fact that there have been dozens of tremors is very disconcerting. Lots of people are sleeping in cars or tents, and some masses have been held outdoors.

annhig

very worrying, bvl.

let's hope that they don't presage something more serious.

bvlenci

My husband, an engineer who is also a certified geologist, says that numerous small earthquakes often release sufficient energy to forstall a "big one". However, there's never a certainty with earthquakes. The huge earthquake that almost destroyed L'Aquila in 2009 was preceded by weeks of small tremors.

I've experienced one small earthquake here in Le Marche, and I can imagine that having dozens of them over a period of a few days would be extremely nerve-wracking.

The big earthquakes in Le Marche and Umbria in 1997/1998 happened shortly before I moved here.

asps

The present earthquakes near Florence are very short - each time a single hit. I remember being through the earthquake in Tokyo on March 11th, 2011, almost two minute long - when you are in it, it means it never ends. That was some quake. Many thanks to Japanese builders if I am still alive to write about it.

Jean

Yikes... 4.1 might not be 'major' to us in California, but for an area with older buildings it sounds pretty big to me!

Stay safe!

bvlenci

The tremors in the Florence area are continuing today, with some new tremors in the province of Arezzo, near the borders with Umbria and Le Marche.

kja

I'm sending lots of good wishes your way. Thanks for letting us know, and please, be safe!

macanimals

From another southern californian, stay safe and hang in there. I'd be concerned as well amongst all that architectural history.

bvlenci

We're not feeling anything here in eastern Le Marche. Those near the Tuscan border are feeling some of the tremors, especially the ones near Arezzo.

sandralist

Having lived in California and now in Italy, earthquakes are part of the deal. I'm surprised it would be news to anybody. Of course it would be nice if they never happened (I guess -- maybe something worse would take their place) and I hope no one gets injured (including me, who is headed to Toscana shortly!). But it is a conscious decision to live the risk, and people here are as well-drilled in how to respond to an earthquake as they are in California, where despite earthquake standards, still can deliver injury.

Swarms sometimes release underground energy and make stronger earthquakes less likely. Sometimes they are precursors of worse to come. Nobody knows (obviously).

Take your chances if you have plans to go to Firenze -- ever, not just next week. Italy gets earthquakes. Learn how to protect yourself if you've never read the drill.

sandralist

Sorry -- meant to write "Take your chances if you have plans to go to Italy." I can't think of an area of Italy that doesn't get earthquakes, but maybe there are some. Wouldn't count on it though.

sandralist

By the way, the Romans and subsequently the Italians have long been known as master builders who developed ways to "earthquake-resist" buildings even 2000 years ago. If you go underground in Napoli, Rome and many ancient areas, you can see very specific examples of how stones and concrete were laid and utilized to withstand earthquakes. A strong enough earthquake will knock down almost anything, as wrecked structures everywhere from l'Aqulia to San Francisco to Japan will illustrate. I'm not minimizing the distress people endure in Italy when earthquakes occur, including in Toscana right now, but if you are posting in this thread from other well-known earthquake zones, you are as much at risk as anybody in Arezzo is.

kawh

we were in the rather large earthquake in padova a few years ago. i'm not gonna lie... it was scary to walk outside and see nothing but stone and statues everywhere! but, sandralist, you are right... the buildings are built to last and most all of the older ones did well. an hour or so later, as we all continued standing outside our b&b in the wee hours, the owner began making us little cups of espresso... to steady our nerves, i assume!

immimi

...we were there too and saw more damage in the outlying areas. Old stone outbuildings didn't fare well.

annhig

Take your chances if you have plans to go to Firenze -- ever, not just next week. Italy gets earthquakes. Learn how to protect yourself if you've never read the drill.>>

All heart as ever, Sandralist.

so those who are injured or worse don't know the drill? What rot.

Best wishes for a happy and safe Christmas, bvl.

bvlenci

The people in Italy are certainly used to earthquakes, but constant tremors over a period of several days are enough to alarm even the most inured. People were sleeping in tents in their gardens, and in the cars, even though it's winter. And it was one of the top stories on the evening news for three days. So surprised or not, it was news here. It seems to have calmed down now, although there have been numerous tremors in a wider area.

My husband is an engineer, mostly working in construction. For about ten years after the earthquakes of 1997/1998 in Umbria and Le Marche, his studio was heavily involved in the reconstruction of public buildings and churches that were damaged by that quake. Buildings built of brick can't really be made earthquake-proof, and many towns in central Italy are built almost entirely of brick. Some towns have never really recovered from that earthquake. In the little town of Nocera Umbra, almost 90% of the buildings were severely damaged. In Assisi, four people were killed in the Upper Basilica when they were examining the damage caused by an earlier tremor. We have a summer home near Nocera Umbra, and for years after those earthquakes the center of the town remained a ghost town. I haven't been there now for several years, but I hope it's coming back to life, because it was a charming little town.

Likewise, the centro storico of the beautiful city of L'Aquila has been badly damaged and ten years later has still not recovered. Many of the residents have lived so long in other places that they may never come back.

The Romans knew construction techniques to reinforce building to withstand earthquakes, and modern Italians know how to reinforce buildings. However, the most effective techniques are mandated only for schools and other public buildings, and Italy is divided into zones of risk, with the strictest regulations in the zones deemed to be of highest risk. (The earthquake that involved Padova was in a zone classified as low risk.) The laws furthermore don't require the retrofitting of existing private buildings. This means that a large number of people live and work in places that are not really earthquake resistant at all.

I would agree that earthquakes are part of life in Italy, but they are still feared. I don't know anyone who is complacent about them.

sandralist

annhg twisted my words, and I don't know why. To suggest I am blaming anybody for being injured is what is "rot" from a rotten point of view. bvlienci is also twisting my words if she is trying to imply I suggested in any way that anyone should be "complacent" about earthquakes. I simply don't know why she put up this post or is worrying herself or suggesting others should join worrying -- if that is what this thread is about.

It is one thing to alert people to impending weather events to take precautions or change plans. I hope no one is suggesting people headed to Toscana should change plans or rent tents to sleep in during winter.

I can just imagine the hooting and derision that would happen if travelers headed for the midwest of the US (or even Emilia Romagna) asked worried questions about tornadoes, or if they were headed to Florida, hurricanes -- and even those are more predictable than earthquakes.

There is really no point in worrying about earthquakes ahead of time. They are either going to happen or they are not. Of course if you are an engineer of a certain sort then it is your job to think about them, and act professionally, but if you are traveler to Italy, what can you do?

I am quite serious that if you do not know what to do in an earthquake and are planning to visit Italy, you should learn what to do. (Same if you plan to travel to California or Japan, etc.) That is not "heartless."

But what is this thread about?

I just returned from Firenze. Everybody was out and about and having a great time. I ate dinner one night in a basement and Christmas lunch on a rooftop. Both places were packed, nobody seemed worried.

I certainly hope Italy never suffers another earthquake anywhere. Likewise the whole world. But I see no point in worrying about it anymore than I worry about meteors hitting. Heartless me!

asps

Florence is in a sort of intermediate earthquake danger; earthquakes are felt but aren't destructive. Every building or building maintenance has to be certified by an engineer and there are spot checks - 1 every 10 projects. But as soon as you exit from Florence - for example, just to the north in the Mugello area - the earthquake risk is much higher and each building is checked by regional controlling engineers.