VERNIO. The earth trembles in the Alta Valbisenzio. It was a night of apprehension – that of Saturday 27 April – for many families in Vernio and Cantagallo due to an ongoing seismic swarm which was felt by numerous residents, although it does not appear to have caused any obvious damage.
Fear and worry
The first earthquake, of magnitude 3.0 on the Richter scale, was recorded by the seismographs of the INGV (the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) at 00.39 with an epicenter 8 kilometers north-east of Vernio at the height of Montepianoalmost on the border withEmilia Romagna, at a depth of 13 kilometers. Almost at the same time, another one moved a little further down Barberino di Mugello of magnitude 3.1.
The seismic swarm
Until 2 am, another ten tremors were detected by seismographs, including one of 3.1 and one of 3.0 on the Richter scale between Vernio and Barberino, at a depth of between 8 and 10 kilometres. «The seismic swarm is underway – the mayor of Cantagallo wrote on Facebook, Guglielmo Bongiorno –. At the moment there are no reports (of damage, ed). Let’s continue our vigilance.” Under his post numerous comments, including that of a resident: “Here in Sasseta heard very well, preceded by a big roar.” The President of the Region, Eugenio Giani, wrote on his social channels that “there are around 50 tremors recorded in the seismic swarm, at the moment there are no critical issues reported”.
