In the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that killed 297 people in and around Amatrice on August 24, 2016, Central Italy continues to bear the brunt of violent seismic activity.
Destruction of the Basilica of St. Benedict / ph. Twitter @monksofnorcia
The night of October 26, 2016, was a long one for residents of Umbria and Le Marche with two strong earthquakes, first a 5.4 at 7:11pm with an epicenter near Ussita, Visso and Castelsantangelo sul Nera in Umbria; then a 5.9 at 9:18pm with the same epicenter, followed by numerous smaller shakes.
The seismic episode continued with a major 6.6 quake at 7:41am on October 30, with the same epicenter near Perugia. The tremor was felt as far away as Bari and Bolzano, Rome and Florence, as well as across the borders in Croatia and Slovenia.
Destruction of the Basilica of St. Benedict / ph. Twitter @monksofnorcia
Head of the civil protection agency Fabrizio Curcio reported that “a dozen” people had been injured, but that there had been no loss of life.
Among the damage, the town’s basilica of St. Benedict has crumbled to the ground; through the centuries it has frequently been affected by earthquakes, such as when its Gothic bell tower fell in the 18th century.
