Northern Italy hit by ’quake

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 9

Northern Italy hit by ’quake

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) PARMA, July 15. An earthquake rolled through much of northern Italy early today, shaking towns and cities for as long as 30 seconds, and thousands of people fled from their homes in panic.

Only one woman is reported to have been killed, in the town of Guastalla, but many people were treated for injuries suffered in a wild scramble to escape from Parma. The earthquake, which did not reach the tourist-packed Adriatic coastal resorts, rolled through Parma, Genoa, Milan, Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Cremona and dozens of smaller towns in the north central region.

Within minutes of the earthquake occurring, at 3.40 am., thousands of people were racing for open country without closing the doors of their homes. Hundreds ran to the banks of the River Po. Several buildings collapsed, television aerials fell, power lines failed and telephones were put out of action. Most of the population of the racing-car centre of Modena spent the night outdoors.

Churches in several towns were damaged as were other old buildings in Parma, Povig. lio and Reggio Emilia.

It was the most severe earthquake since early in February, when a series of tremors shattered the ancient Etruscan capital of Tuscania, killing 22 people.