A 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook central Italy on Monday, north of the city of Florence in the Tuscany region. Although there have been no reported casualties or significant damages, authorities have taken precautionary measures by closing some schools. Train services experienced delays due to safety checks on railway lines.
The Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported the earthquake’s epicenter near Marradi, a city with a population of about 3,000 located in the province of Florence, in the Apennine Mountains.
Beyond Tuscany, the quake was also felt in the Emilia Romagna and Marche regions, causing considerable anxiety among the residents, many of whom took to the streets in fear. Following the primary quake, the INGV noted that there were subsequent, less intense tremors felt throughout Florence and across Tuscany.
Firefighters in the Forlì-Cesena province stated, “There are numerous calls from concerned citizens, and some inspections are underway to check for cracks in private homes. However, no damages or involvement of individuals have been reported.”
While civil protection in Florence has not yet received reports of property or personal damages, the Mayor of Marradi, Tommaso Triberti, along with other advisors from towns near the earthquake’s epicenter like Borgo San Lorenzo, Firenzuola, and Palazzuolo sul Senio, decided to close the cities for precaution.
Triberti mentioned that firefighters are inspecting houses, adding, “There’s a lot of anxiety; everyone is on the streets, but no specific damages have been reported.”
The institute highlighted that the area affected by the Marradi earthquake is characterized by significant seismic risk, referencing two potent past quakes with epicenters in the Mugello region, a historic area central to the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
In 1919, the same city faced a devastating earthquake, one of the worst of the century, leaving 100 people dead.
