Terrified residents fled into the streets following back-to-back earthquakes that rattled homes and prompted evacuations.
The initial quake, as per the Italian National Institute of Geophysics, struck at around 9:27 am with a magnitude ranging between 4.0 and 4.5, originating in Forlì-Cesena, Italy. Just minutes later at 9:29 am, a second tremor hit the Ravenna region with an estimated magnitude of 3.7 to 4.2.
Witnesses described the quakes lasting up to five seconds each, causing buildings in Forli to shake and residents to quickly evacuate outside. The shallow depth of the tremors at 14 miles made the impact widely felt, although there have been no reports of injuries thus far.
As a precautionary measure, evacuations were conducted, and schools in the vicinity of the epicenter in Emilia-Romagna closed. A resident in Faenza shared on social media the strong tremors experienced and the evacuation of school children.
Local authorities, including Valentina Palli, the mayor of Russi, emphasized the need to remain calm while investigations into the earthquake effects are ongoing. Updates are being provided to the community, assuring no damages have been reported.
Reports of the earthquake effects were felt as far as Milan, approximately 160 miles away from the epicenter, with minimal impact described as “light shaking.”
Train services have been temporarily halted for safety checks on various lines in Romagna, including Bologna-Rimini, Ferrara-Rimini, Castelbolognese-Ravenna, and Faenza-Ravenna lines.
A specialized team, led by Massimo Camprini, is conducting assessments through the Regional Operations Centre in Bologna to coordinate response efforts and liaise with emergency services in the affected areas.