In the early hours of this Saturday (9), an earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale hit the Molise region, in south-central Italy.
The epicenter was located in the Montecilfone area, in province of Campobasso, about 20 kilometers from Termoli.
The tremor was felt intensely in several cities in Basso Molise, as well as in some locations in Abruzzo and in the provincial capital itself, Campobasso.
The estimated depth of the earthquake was about 18 kilometers, and the phenomenon was recorded by the Seismic Room of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGVThe earthquake, although it caused panic among residents, did not cause significant damage to infrastructure, nor any casualties.
In some areas, such as Montecilfone, Casacalenda and Larino, residents fled their homes due to the scare. Despite this, local authorities, including Civil Protection, quickly mobilized to monitor the situation.
The mayor of Larino, Giuseppe Puchetti, said that inspections of schools, hospitals and public buildings had begun, but so far, no material damage had been reported.
The region of Montecilfone still remembers the great earthquake of 2018, of magnitude 5.2, which caused serious structural damage. The fear of the reappearance of geological faults in the area has generated speculation, but nothing has been confirmed so far by experts.
Molise Governor Francesco Roberti reassured the population, stressing that although the tremor had caused great concern, there were no injuries or serious damage. Authorities are continuing to check the affected areas.
“Several agencies, in accordance with their own competences, are carrying out the necessary and indispensable checks in order to determine any possible damage caused by the tremor. We can say, fortunately, that there was only a lot of fear,” said Francesco Roberti.
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