Casa Rosales

Casa Rosales

Wednesday 11 May 2011

The earth moved today

An earthquake just hit southern Spain, Lorca in Murcia to be specific, bringing down an old church tower and littering the streets with stones and rubble.


Cesar, Ruy and I were out (looking at a house) and were probably in the car at the time the shock hit Alcala so we didn't feel it at all. But when we returned home, Mateo and Romy were very excited to relate how the apartment and the things in it had moved and wobbled about. And now the news is full of images from Lorca, showing debris scattered around and a big bell on the ground. It is possible that some people may have been killed but no details as yet.

Interestingly, an Italian scientist from the 1920s, Raffaele Bendandi, allegedly predicted that on this day, Rome would be struck by an earthquake. Despite it being scientifically impossible to predict earthquakes, many Romans are aware of this 'prediction' and have stayed away from the city. I had heard this information on the radio but a little further investigation reveals that Bendandi never actually said the 11th May at all.

But he did think he could predict earthquakes.

Which no one can, or they would have done so two months ago.

5 comments:

  1. I will check the news for your earthquake, Annie. I remember the library building I worked in creaking and shaking in Mid Wales' worst earthquake years ago. It was really rather disturbing to feel the furniture shifting and the floor quivering under my feet. But of course nothing compared to Japan or Haiti. Many thanks for the link to the Guardian article.

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  2. A couple of hours on, it would seem that ten people may have died as a result of the earthquake with many others injured, as a result of collapsing buildings.
    Ax

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  3. Oh, that's terrible, Annie. So sad for the families concerned and very frightening for so many other people. I do hope there aren't any aftershocks.

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  4. Scary. And this from a woman in a very shaky area! There are steps we can take, preparations and precautions, but the rest is not up to us. So glad you are safe... stay that way, please!

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  5. Well your post is back, Annie, but my comment seems to have vanished. Just to say how sad this is and how sorry I feel for those affected. Glad you are all OK.

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