Tens-of-thousands of northern Italian residents and their properties were at the highest risk from magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck the region on Monday, according to a statement from catastrophe modeling firm Risk Management Solutions (RMS).
An estimated 60,000 people were exposed to “very strong” level VIII ground shaking based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, RMS said citing USGS PAGER information.
“This level of shaking can be expected to cause moderate damage to resistant structures and moderate/heavy damage to vulnerable structures,” RMS said in the statement.
Italian cities cited as being at most risk in Monday’s earthquake include San Felice sul Panaro (population 10,000), Camposanto (3,000), Medolla (6,000), Mirandola (22,000), Cavezzo (7,000) and San Prospero (4,000).
The earthquake struck at approximately 07:00 UTC on May 29 a Mw5.8 in Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy with the epicenter approximately 24 miles north-northwest of Bologna; 36 miles east of Parma, and over 200 miles north-northwest of Rome, according to the USGS.
“Italian media are reporting that some buildings damaged by the earthquake on Sunday, May 20 have suffered further damage, particularly in Cavezzo and Mirandola – including the Mirandola Cathedral. An industrial facility is reported to have collapsed in Medolla , which resulted in three of the fatalities and reports are emerging that a facility in San Felice has been damaged which is contributing to the fatality figures reported,” RMS said in its statement.
Monday’s earthquake comes nearly a week following a 6.0 earthquake struck the same region on Sunday, May 20, crippling the region’s Parmesan and Grana Padano cheese industries. Modeling firm EQECAT estimated that insured losses from that event could reach 100 million euros.
