Earthquake Ferrara, Italy : Extremely strong aftershock near Mirandola, Emilia Romagna – 15+ deaths reported

Last update: May 29, 2012 at 2:41 pm by By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell

Summary 29/05 – 14:30 UTC – 15 people have died – 4 or 5 still missing
– Updating the situation.
– 15 dead with 5 people reported missing. At least 20 people have been also injured.
(of these all have been in the province of Modena – 3 dead in San Felice sul Panaro: two workers and a technician who were doing some investigations on the static nature of the Meta Industry building, 1 death in Concordia (an elderly person killed by a falling cornice (a common way of death during earthquake, where fancy cornices and non-structural elements fall on people), 1 death in Finale, 1 death of the pastor of Rovereto nel Novi, Don Ivan Martini, the victim of falling debris, 2 women died in Cavezzo. 1 woman died buried beneath the rubble of Furniture Malavasi, 2 dead in the rubble of the factory Bbg San Giacomo Roncole in Mirandola, 1 male worker died by crushing through the collapse of the Haemotronic factory (they produce medical equipment).
– 6000 people are homeless as a result of this earthquake.
– Much damage has occurred to cathedrals, buildings and other infrastructure.
– The price tag is expected to equal that of the previous quake on 20 May or even exceed it.
– Further aftershocks have caused damage.

Summary 29/05 – 11:40 UTC – 12 deaths reported. 3 major aftershocks. 
It can be expected that further large aftershocks will occur in the area, given this sequence of events. We urge Italians to stay off their mobile phones and to use internet resources instead to help emergency crews.

Summary 29/05 – 11:35 UTC – 11 deaths reported. 3 major aftershocks. 
A twitter photo shows the devastation at Cavezzo where it is presumed that 75% of the houses have been damaged.

The devastation of Cavezzo (from Twitter).

Summary 29/05 – 11:31 UTC – 11 deaths reported. 
San Possidonio will be the most affected town in this area due to these 2 new quakes. The town has about 3828 people.

Summary 29/05 – 11:30 UTC – 11 deaths reported. 
Here are the details from INGV of the 2 latest quakes. In addition, our felt reports have shown that these quakes have been felt stronger in some locations.
Magnitude: 5.3
Depth: 6.8km
Region: Pianura Padana Emiliana
Provinces: MODENA,MANTOVA,REGGIO NELLEMILIA
Closest towns: San Possidonio

Magnitude: 5.1
Depth: 11km
Region: Pianura_padana_emiliana
Provinces: MODENA,REGGIO NELL”EMILIA,MANTOVA
Closest towns:

Summary 29/05 – 11:25 UTC – 11 deaths reported. 
Latest aftershock has caused additional damage – M5.3 at 6km depth. Then followed by a second of M5.1 at 11km depth. These were both located reasonably close to the mainshock and so will be called aftershocks.

GEOFON is registering the new event as M5.5, and USGS as an M5.6 at 9km depth.

In the very damaging Friuli events of 1976, 3 large shocks were also recorded, 1 in May and 2 in September with around 1000 killed in total.

Summary 29/05 – 11:20 UTC – 11 deaths reported. A M5.3 aftershock and then a M5.1 aftershock 4 minutes after

– 3 magnitude 5 earthquakes have occurred today. The depth of the M5.3 aftershock a few minutes ago was 6.8km, which is shallower and will likely have caused additional damage.

Summary 29/05 – 11:20 UTC – 11 deaths reported.
– A major aftershock of Mw5.6 has just occurred, we have been searching for additional info.

Summary 29/05 – 10:55 UTC – 11 deaths reported.
– At least 11 deaths have occurred according to local authorities. This is expected to climb in the coming hours.
– 1 person has been extracted from the rubble alive in Mirandola.

Summary 29/05 – 10:40 UTC – 10 deaths reported.
– The pastor of Carpi has been injured by falling masonry.
– All railways have been reopened.
– At least 5 workers are presumed to be dead in Emilia as well. There is at this point still confusion to the total death toll, but it is at least 10.

Summary 29/05 – 10:15 UTC – 9 deaths reported.
– There are still industrial workers under the rubble in San Felice.
– Two workers of a dairy in Piacenza were injured (1 seriously) in the storage of ripening cheese ‘Aimi’, for the fall of a large quantity of forms of grana padano from the shelves.
Riccardo Poli, Cremona, 20, resident of Castelvetro, suffered a crushed chest and he ‘was delivered to the Civil Hospital of Cremona’ on the danger list.
Laurentin Danut Popa, Romania, 44 years, has suffered a foot injury.
– Many new building collapses have occurred and the cathedral and the church of San Francesco in Mirandola looks as though it may collapse and is severely damaged.
After the earthquake this morning, new collapses were reported in Mirandola, Finale Emilia and San Felice sul Panaro, the provinces of which were already affected by the quake of May 20.
– There has been other collapses in the Rocca Estense di Finale Emilia, Modena, near the epicenter. The fortress had already been damaged by the earthquake of May 20 and the shock had destroyed a tower of Modena, the symbol of the town.
– The center of Cavezzo is extremely damaged where many historic buildings have collapsed and the roof of the church, already damaged by the earthquake last week has collapsed. For now there are no reports of casualties, but work is still being undertaken.

Summary 29/05 – 09:45-10.00 UTC – 9 deaths reported.
– There are nine confirmed victims of the earthquake in the Modena. 3 in San Felice, due to collapse in the industrial zone Meta, 2 in Mirandola, 1 in Concordia (an old killed by a ledge) and 1 in one to the Final.
The pastor of Rovereto in Novi has been killed, although it is unclear whether the victim of falling debris or an illness. A woman also died in Cavezzo, buried beneath the rubble of Mobilificio Malavasi.
– There have also been a undisclosed number of injured

Summary 29/05 – 09:35 UTC – 8 deaths reported.
– There have also been 2 very severely injured people who may not make it through.
– The Duomo in Mirandola is said to be severely damaged. A twitter photo shows some of the damage.

Twitter picture of the Duomo damage in Mirandola.

Summary 29/05 – 09:30 UTC – 8 deaths reported.
– A M5.8 earthquake has struck just west of the May 20 earthquake in Italy.
– So far 8 people are reported dead .
– 2 deaths in Mirandola, 3 deaths in San Felice sul Panaro, Concordia, Roverto sul Secchia and Finale Emilia.
– Much damage reported from houses. This will likely amount to the same losses seen from the May 20 quake, with already damaged structures having further damage. This quake will also affect further the cheese production in the area.

This earthquake is of course CATDAT Red.

Update 29/05 – 09:25 UTC – 6 deaths reported.
– Workers that were working on removing the rubble from the May 20 earthquakes have also been injured while working on cranes at the start of their day. Our hearts go out to all those affected.

Update 29/05 – 09:20 UTC – 6 deaths reported.
– A sixth person died in Rovereto sul Secchia, but it is unclear whether he/she died from a heart attack or the consequences of a collapse.

Update 29/05 – 09:15 UTC – 5 deaths reported.
– There have been 2 deaths in Mirandola – 1 by falling debris in his house and 1 in an industrial site.
– 1 death has been reported in San Felice sul Panaro.
– 1 death in Concordia.
– 1 death in Finale Emilia.
– 5 or 6 people are still under the debris.

Update 29/05 – 09:05 UTC – An update by INGV as to the location of the earthquake and the aftershocks as shown in red.

29th May Quake and Aftershock locations (more west than the original) courtesy of INGV.

Update 29/05 – 09:20 UTC – 6 deaths reported.
– A sixth person died in Rovereto on the Secchia, but it is unclear whether he/she died from a heart attack or the consequences of a collapse.

Update 29/05 – 09:15 UTC – 5 deaths reported.
– There have been 2 deaths in Mirandola – 1 by falling debris in his house and 1 in an industrial site.
– 1 death has been reported in San Felice sul Panaro.
– 1 death in Concordia.
– 1 death in Finale Emilia.
– 5 or 6 people are still under the debris.

Update 29/05 – 09:05 UTC – An update by INGV as to the location of the earthquake and the aftershocks as shown in red.

29th May Quake and Aftershock locations (more west than the original) courtesy of INGV.

Update 29/05 – 09:00 UTC Still 3 deaths.
– In Bologna, many people ran out to the homes and offices and took to the streets of the old town. Several university departments and schools were evacuated, where classes had just started and where students and teachers were very scared.
– Major train delays can be expected with major problems around Bologna Centrale.

Update 29/05 – 08:55 UTC
3 deaths have been reported. 2 deaths occurred on via Perossaro in San Felice sul Panaro. There has also been a third man killed in Mirandola in Via 25 Luglio. The victims were killed by falling masonry and structures.
We are still awaiting the fate of Mirandola, close to the epicenter, where a shed collapsed on four workers who are under the rubble and firefighters are trying to lead them to safety.

Update 29/05 – 08:45 UTC
– The shock came at about 9am. A M5.8 earthquake, the same as the one that hit 9 days ago.
– The magnitude 5.8 shock has been followed by 8 shocks between 2.9 and 4.0.
– At 9.07 there was a 4.0 degree quake with its epicenter in the province of Modena; at 9.13, an M3.6 with its epicenter between the provinces of Mantua, Reggio Emilia and Modena; 9.30 – a magnitude 3.2 with epicenter in the province of Modena, 9:38 an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 occurred between the provinces of Mantua and Modena, 9:39 a M2.9 between provinces of Mantua and Modena at 9:49; a M3.7 between Mantova and Modena; at 9:59 a shock of M3.3 in the provinces of Mantua and Modena, and finally, a magnitude 3.0 at 10.04 in the province of Modena.

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/05/20/very-strong-shallow-earthquake-kills-at-least-3-people-in-the-mantua-ferrara-and-modena-area-italy/