[peterv]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7984867.stm

[Snail]

Damn.

Why do earthquakes always happen while people are in bed?

[Rodo]

yeah, just read about that... 80 people died IIRC, a pitty.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

Mobius? Are you alright?

[redsniper]

Even if he is, I don't think his first priority would be to tell us.

[lostllama]

He's ok, and he lives further south of where it struck. I messaged him about it earlier today.

[Dysko]

Both me and Mobius live far away from the area where the earthquake happened (it happened in central Italy, I live in northern Italy and Mobius in southern Italy), so he should be alright.

The article is not correct: the quake magnitude was 5.8, not 6.3.

As of the last news, the death toll is 108 victims

[colecampbell666]

He's from South Italy, IIRC, although he's at uni age so he may have been near the quake.

[Mobius]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7984867.stm

That sucks, really.

I live in a much less stable region(under a geological point of view) but we're not experiencing what those people have been experiencing for the past 12-13 years(there's been another devastating earthquake in 1996-1997, if I remember well).

We had terrible earthquakes in the past...the one occurred in 1750-1800 killed 50% of the population and modified landscapes in a shocking way - if you look at paintings made before the earthquake and then visit the places where they were created, you'd probably notice that one or more hills are partially/totally missing.

Speaking of today's earthquake: fortunately, supplies and needed personnel are reaching the devastated areas to provide assistance. I hope journalists won't come out with the classic "What should we have done to prevent that?" - people are good at it only after disasters, not before them.

Why do earthquakes always happen while people are in bed?

Believe me, sometimes it's better. There's been a terrible earthquake here in 1908, while people were not sleeping...they moved to the beach to get as far as possible from the collapsed/collapsing buildings. As result, they were killed by several tsunamis. One of my relatives lost his grandfather because of the tsunamis.

Both me and Mobius live far away from the area where the earthquake happened (it happened in central Italy, I live in northern Italy and Mobius in southern Italy), so he should be alright.

I'm much closer to Abruzzo than you...

Also, I live in a more dangerous region. Read above to find out how terrible earthquakes have been here. 

yeah, just read about that... 80 people died IIRC, a pitty.

As of the last news, the death toll is 108 victims

Well, not...150+ dead, 1500 injured and 50000+ without a residence. 

[Dysko]

Ironically, a week ago a geologist who was studying radon gas said there would have been an earthquake in that area within one week.

He was charged for alarming people

[lostllama]

From the sound of the article below it seems like there was some downplaying of the significance of radon emissions by Italy's geophysics and vulcanology institute.

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/node/4930

I don't think there's any one truly reliable method for prediction. Any prediction method would probably involve the monitoring of several indicators (gases, water table changes, seismicity, satellite images, among others that I can't remember).

[Snail]

Ironically, a week ago a geologist who was studying radon gas said there would have been an earthquake in that area within one week.

He was charged for alarming people

[lostllama]

Sounds like they should have listened, big time. Heck, I'd be running from radon with or without an impending quake (.....that's assuming if the gas was entering my house).

[BloodEagle]

Ironically, a week ago a geologist who was studying radon gas said there would have been an earthquake in that area within one week.

He was charged for alarming people

That's not ironic, it's coincidentally disturbing.   

[Liberator]

A tragedy to be sure.

I'm glad you are both ok.  Hope your families are as well.

I also hope we didn't lose any historical or artistic artifacts.  If Italy is becoming seimically more active we need to reinforce these structures to ensure that future generations can look at them and know that there is more to history than violence and conquest.

[peterv]

http://www.newser.com/story/55479/italy-quake-caused-massive-damage-to-medieval-heritage.html

At least, it seems that the Italian authorities are doing their duty so far.

[Mobius]

Ironically, a week ago a geologist who was studying radon gas said there would have been an earthquake in that area within one week.

He was charged for alarming people

I'm bumping this to tell you all that this guy has recently claimed that my town will be hit by a similar earthquake anytime between the 5th and the 10th of May.

Why...my...town?