Aftershocks keep shaking Italy after strong quake killed 6 (Gegaran susulan Itali selepas gempa bumi kuat membunuh 6)

Epicenter of the quake (Pusat bagi gempa bumi itu)

Gempa bumi 6.0 pada skala Richter telah melanda utara Itali, dilaporkan membunuh sekurang-kurangnya 7 orang dan mencederakan 50 lain. Salah satu gempa kuat diikuti oleh beberapa siri gempa susulan yang kuat yang menyebabkan kerosakan yang lebih. Awal 4,2-magnitud gegaran melanda kawasan berpenduduk di utara negara ini pada 01:13 (23:13 GMT). Ia diikuti oleh gempa susulan yang kuat, 6,0 pada skala Richter, yang memberi kesan kepada bandar-bandar Modena, Ferrara, Verona dan Mantua. Beribu-ribu orang membanjiri jalan-jalan berikutan gempa bumi itu, datuk bandar tempatan yang memberi amaran kepada orang ramai untuk tinggalkan rumah mereka.

Menjadi pusat gempa bumi ke-2, yang telah didaftarkan berhampiran perbandaran Camposanto, terletak pada kedalaman yang agak cetek sebanyak 10.1 km. Ia diikuti oleh 2 gempa susulan kuat sebanyak 5.1 dan 4.7 magnitud di kawasan yang sama. Kira-kira 10 jam selepas gempa pertama, gempa susulan sebanyak 4.5-magnitud melanda berhampiran bandar San Felice sul Panaro. Gempa susulan terkini sebanyak 5.1-magnitute berlaku kira-kira 12 jam selepas gempa bumi awal, menyebabkan lebih banyak bangunan runtuh.

Ini datang sebagai pihak berkuasa mengarahkan pemindahan kira-kira 3,000 orang dari kawasan gempa. Ketua rantau Vasco Errani juga telah menggesa kerajaan untuk mengenakan perintah darurat di seluruh negara. Gerakan beliau telah disokong oleh pihak berkuasa dari kawasan jiran. Keadaan darurat boleh dikenakan ke atas Selasa selepas mesyuarat kabinet yang telah dijadualkan. Pegawai-pegawai tempatan berkata, seorang lelaki mati dalam lokasi di Bordeno apabila sebuah gudang runtuh dalam gempa bumi itu. 2 yang lain terbunuh dalam gua di kilang seramik di Sant'Agostino di Ferrara dan mangsa lain ditemui dibawah runtuhan Tecopress perniagaan tempatan di Dosso.

3 wanita juga telah mati akibat serangan jantung, yang dicetuskan oleh kejutan semasa gempa bumi, pihak berkuasa Itali melaporkan. Futej kawasan yang dilanda gempa bumi itu menunjukkan kerosakan meluas kepada bangunan-bangunan bersejarah: bumbung runtuh, menara gereja menunjukkan keretakan bata beberapa tembok jatuh ke jalan. "Ada dalam kawasan Bologna-Ferrara sudah sedikit kerosakan; sesetengah struktur datang dengan orang dalam mereka," kata seorang saksi di Ferrara kepada agensi berita Reuters.

Pasukan penyelamat kini penyental bangkai di tengah-tengah kebimbangan mungkin ada beberapa orang yang terperangkap dibawah runtuhan. Itali kerap mengalami pergerakan seismik, tetapi gempa bumi yang kuat adalah agak jarang. Gempa bumi utama terbaru berlaku melanda pusat bandar Itali L'Aquila pada tahun 2009, membunuh hampir 300 orang.

REVIEW: Cars are damaged after a tower collapsed following an earthquake on May 20, 2012 in Finale Emila (Kereta rosak selepas menara runtuh berikutan gempa bumi pada Mei 20, 2012 di Finale Emila)

AFP Photo/Giuseppe Cacace

AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot

AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot

AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot

AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot

AFP Photo/Giuseppe Cacace

AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot

Elderly people take a rest after being evacuated to a sports center in Finale Emilia (Orang tua berehat selepas dipindahkan ke pusat sukan di Finale Emilia) (AFP Photo/Pierre Teyssot)

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake has hit northern Italy, reportedly killing at least seven people and injuring 50 others. One of the strongest quakes was followed by a series of powerful aftershocks causing more damage. The initial 4.2-magnitude tremor struck a populated region in the north of the country at 01:13 am (23:13 GMT). It was followed by a strong, 6.0-magnitude aftershock, which affected the cities of Modena, Ferrara, Verona and Mantua. Thousands of people flooded the streets following the quake, local mayors warning people to stay out of their homes.

The epicenter of the second quake, which was registered near the township of Camposanto, was located at a relatively shallow depth of 10.1 km. It was followed by two powerful aftershocks of 5.1 and 4.7-magnitude in the same area. Some 10 hours after the first quake, an aftershock of 4.5-magnitude struck near the township of San Felice sul Panaro.  The latest aftershock of 5.1-magnitute occurred about 12 hours after the initial quake, causing more buildings to collapse.

This comes as authorities ordered the evacuation of some 3,000 people from the earthquake-affected area. The head of the region Vasco Errani has also called on the government to impose a state of emergency across the country. His motion was backed by the authorities from a neighboring region. The state of emergency may be imposed on Tuesday after the scheduled meeting of the cabinet. Local officials say one man died in the locality of Bordeno when a warehouse collapsed during the quake. Two others were killed in a cave-in at a ceramics factory in Sant’Agostino di Ferrara and another victim was found underneath the rubble of local business Tecopress di Dosso.

Three women have also died of heart attacks, triggered by shock during the earthquake, report Italian authorities.  Footage of the areas hit by the quake showed widespread damage to historic buildings: roofs collapsed, church towers showed cracks and the bricks of some walls tumbled into the street.   "It's in the Bologna-Ferrara area. There's been a bit of damage; some structures have come down with people in them," an eyewitness in Ferrara told Reuters news agency.

Rescue teams are now scouring the wreckage amid fears there may be some people trapped underneath the rubble. Italy frequently experiences seismic movements, but strong earthquakes are relatively rare. The latest major earthquake to occur hit the central Italian city of L’Aquila in 2009, killing almost 300 people.