L’Aquila, Italy - An earthquake shook Italy early in the morning on 6th April 2009, causing 307 people to die and 1,500 people to suffer injuries, making it the deadliest earthquake to hit Italy since the Irpinia earthquake in 1980. The earthquake, rated 5.8 on the Richter scale and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, was felt throughout Italy. Its epicenter was L’Aquila.

The earthquake caused around 65,000 people to lose their homes, and damage to 3,000 to 11,000 buildings in L’Aquila. It even caused a few deaths in other countries such as Macedonia. The hospital in L’Aquila, where most people who suffered injuries were put, suffered damage from the 4.8 aftershocks, which followed the main earthquake just an hour after. Altogether, 26 cities and towns are believed to have been damaged. Phone and power lines were down, and bridges and roads have been closed as a precaution.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who called off a scheduled trip to Moscow to survey the region by helicopter, declared a state of emergency, promising a “record number of rescuers”. A field hospital was being set up to help local medical services, he stated. The rescue service was stretched to breaking point trying to reach all the affected people. The army and civil protection units from around Italy joined also the effort.

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