2 moderate earthquakes are shaking Northern Italy – slight damage in Parma reported

Last update: January 25, 2012 at 3:38 pm by By

Earthquake overview : A moderate but shallow and thus moderately dangerous earthquake occurred only 13 km from Parma, Italy. For aftershocks click here and refresh the page regularly
“I have Felt it” Reports –> see below + Let us know “how you have felt this earthquake”
To read the full story as it happened, we advise our readers to start at the lower part of the page (earthquake data).

Keep this page open or return regularly as we will be back with more details when they become available

 

Minor damage (fallen stones, objects etc)

Update 13:39 UTC : This experience report just arrived in our website, it gives a good description of what happened when the earthquake occurred :

We were at school, everything normal until I felt a light shake. I was the first in class to feel it So I backed up my chair but felt nothing anymore, then, a few seconds later (10 seconds) there was a bigger one and everyone immediately went under their desk. Then the teacher cried; ‘no time for that! Get out quick!’ so we got out and went to hallways. Shortly after, there was the alarm therefore everybody quickly went down the stairs to go outside. There were little 4-year-old girls crying and policemen going in the building. We stayed there for 1hour+ until parents came to get us.
ER comment : This teacher should know that what he ordered could make victims. The first pupils action was by far the best (look for cover under desks when the shaking starts). More people are being killed by falling objects than bu collapsed houses. Only evacuate when the shaking stops. This is an advice of almost all of the Preparedness Agencies in the world.

Update 10:43 UTC : INGV, the Italian  local seismological service has reported a magnitude of 4.9. The earthquakes epicenter was located in the valley of the River Po, one of the Italian main rivers. As far as we could follow up the present reporting NO signs yet of any serious damage or injuries although it is too soon to make a final balance.

Update : Max. reported shaking at USGS is a V to VI MMI (moderate to strong shaking). Minor injuries from falling objects like tiles, stones etc cannot be excluded.

Update : experience report just in from Parma says : it lasted about 30-40 seconds.  strong shaking. things falling off of shelves and walls.  pictures broken.

Update : schools in and around Parma have been evacuated

Update : The actual epicenter of this earthquake has been located near the villages of Lentigione, Corte Godi and Enzano.

Update : local reports are mentioning some collapsed chimneys and a lot of panic in the streets of Parm. Also reports of rubble in the streets of Parma

For aftershocks click here and refresh the page regularly

A first weaker 4.1 magnitude earthquake shook Northern Italy at 00:54 local time. It was experienced by a lot of people as a light to weak shaking. The epicenter of this earthquake was close to Verona. Click here for more details about this earthquake

“I Have Felt It” reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com
Parma : it lasted about 30-40 seconds.  strong shaking. things falling off of shelves and walls.  pictures broken.
Parma : Light shaking indicated + Parma, Italy 9.15 am. Building evacuated just in case
Parma : We were at school, everything normal until I felt a light shake. I was the first in class to feel it So I backed up my chair but felt nothing anymore, then, a few seconds later (10 seconds) there was a bigger one and everyone immediately went under their desk. Then the teacher cried; ‘no time for that! Get out quick!’ so we got out and went to hallways. Shortly after, there was the alarm therefore everybody quickly went down the stairs to go outside. There were little 4-year-old girls crying and policemen going in the building. We stayed there for 1hour+ until parents came to get us.
Parma : Walls were shaking, ceiling trembling and pictures felt down from walls. Lasted long enought to be noticed and us to ran out of the old building.
Vicenza : The earthquake woke my wife and I. We just felt a second earthquake, 09:15, 25 Jan 12. The two felt to be of the same magnitude.
Verona : It woke me up twice in the night, but fortunately no damage to be reported. Simply frightening!
Bergamo : About 8-10 seconds at 09:15 local time. It was stronger and longer than the very weak tremor in the night.
Genoa : I am on the 7th floor apartment and the entire building rocked back and forth 4 times along with the ceiling light fixures. This was my first experience with a tremor.
Milano : I felt slight tremors in my apartment complex in Milano at around 9:05 this morning. Looking out the window I watched as the light poles were gently swaying back & forth. Hopefully that’s the end of that!
Milano : Weak shaking indicated. Le 25 janvier a 09h06.
Milano : il mio letto si è mossa!!
Saronno : The building shook for around 8 seconds.  We are west of Verona
Verona : very weak shaking indicated
Zermatt (Switserland) : weak shaking indicated
Ispra : light shaking indicated

“I Have Felt It” reports as received by EMSC
Parma : è stata una scossa di 10-15 secondi, partita lentamente con uno scrollone dopo qualche secondo
Parma : Terremoto strano. Sembrava un misto tra sussultorio e ondulatorio con esplosione in mezzo
Parma : The earthquake was strong but very short, before we associated with an earthquake it had finished.
Parma : Very noticeable shaking lasting 10-15 seconds. Initial reaction from the sound was that it was the washing machine.
Parma : Violento rumble e scuotimento continuo per alcuni secondi e poi un violentissimo quanto breve “colpo di frusta” che ha concluso tutto
Parma : Credevo fosse di nuovo nel Veronese (Lago di Garda) solo molto più forte. Svegliato dal sonno e avvertita da altre persone in casa . Sentito netto movimento oscillatorio per 15 secondi. Armadio a vetri ha tintinnato nettamente
Parma : It felt like a large heavy freight train rumbled by and lasted for a 10 seconds or so.  I was standing and did not feel much, but the building rattled quite a bit.
Collecchio : I was sitting and I felt as if the earthquake would never stop, it last so long, and was strong too.
Felino : We felt a short but intense swaying, it lasted about 3-4 seconds. The chandelier swayed. Car alarms were activated.
Modeno : I’ve been in El Salvador years ago in a strong earthquake and I’m maybe more sensitive But I’ve felt my desk moving….

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 5.1
UTC Time : Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 08:06:35 UTC
Local time at epicenter :  Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 09:06:35 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 10.2 km
Geo-location(s) :
13 km (8 miles) NE of Parma, Italy
75 km (46 miles) SSW of Verona, Italy

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area
Historic earthquakes map
Seismic hazard map
Focal mechanism report
QuakeSOS+ and QuakeSOS free are iPhone applications developed by Armand Vervaeck, the founder of Earthquake Report. The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is feeding the users with Earthquake Report news. The 0.99 US$ QuakeSOS+ version will support the activities of SOS Earthquakes.

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I did feel it – Ik heb het gevoeld – Το έκανα αισθάνεται –Yo lo he sentido – 我的确感到了 – 私はそれを感じていました- Ich habe es gefühlt – Bunu hissediyorum yaptı – لم أشعر أنه

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Your Email address might help us if we request for additional details about your experience. This field is NOT mandatory. It is up to you to give it or not.
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People :
Felt by persons at rest, on upper floors or favorably placed.
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People :
Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, duration may be estimated, may not be recognized as an earthquake.
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People :
Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Light sleepers may be awakened. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building.
Fittings :
Doors and windows rattle. Glassware and crockery rattle. Liquids in open vessels may be slightly disturbed. Standing motorcars may rock.
Structures :
Walls and frames of buildings, and partitions and suspended ceilings in commercial buildings, may be heard to creak.
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People :
Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. Most sleepers awakened. A few people alarmed.
Fittings :
Small unstable objects are displaced or upset. Some glassware and crockery may be broken. Hanging pictures knock against the wall. Open doors may swing. Cupboard doors secured by magnetic catches may open. Pendulum clocks stop, start, or change rate.
Structures :
Some large display windows cracked. A few earthenware toilet fixtures cracked.
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People Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily.
Fittings :
Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall from walls. Some furniture moved on smooth floors, some unsecured free-standing fireplaces moved. Glassware and crockery broken. Very unstable furniture overturned. Small church and school bells ring. Appliances move on bench or table tops. Filing cabinets or "easy glide" drawers may open (or shut).
Structures :
Slight damage to buildings with low standard. Some stucco or cement plaster falls. Large display windows broken. Damage to a few weak domestic chimneys, some may fall.
Environment :
Trees and bushes shake, or are heard to rustle. Loose material may be dislodged from sloping ground, e.g. existing slides, talus slopes, shingle slides.
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People
General alarm. Difficulty experienced in standing. Noticed by motorcar drivers who may stop.
Fittings :
Large bells ring. Furniture moves on smooth floors, may move on carpeted floors. Substantial damage to fragile contents of buildings.
Structures :
Unreinforced stone and brick walls cracked. Low standard buildings cracked with some minor masonry falls. A few instances of damage to buildings of ordinary workmanship. Unbraced parapets, unbraced brick gables, and architectural ornaments fall. Roofing tiles, especially ridge tiles may be dislodged. Many unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, often falling from roof-line. Water tanks Type I burst. A few instances of damage to brick veneers and plaster or cement-based linings. Unrestrained water cylinders (hot-water cylinders) may move and leak. Some common windows cracked. Suspended ceilings damaged.
Environment :
Water made turbid by stirred up mud. Small slides such as falls of sand and gravel banks, and small rock-falls from steep slopes and cuttings. Instances of settlement of unconsolidated or wet, or weak soils. Some fine cracks appear in sloping ground. A few instances of liquefaction (i.e. small water and sand ejections).
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People Alarm may approach panic. Steering of motorcars greatly affected. Structures : Low standard buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. ordinary workmanship buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged in some cases. A few instances of damage to buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes. Monuments and pre-1976 elevated tanks and factory stacks twisted or brought down. Some pre-1965 infill masonry panels damaged. A few post-1980 brick veneers damaged. Decayed timber piles of houses damaged. Houses not secured to foundations may move. Most unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, some below roof-line, many brought down. Environment : Cracks appear on steep slopes and in wet ground. Small to moderate slides in roadside cuttings and unsupported excavations. Small water and sand ejections and localized lateral spreading adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
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Structures Many low standard buildings destroyed. Ordinary workmanship buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes damaged in some cases, some with flexible frames seriously damaged. Damage or permanent distortion to some buildings and bridges, designed and built to normal use standards. Houses not secured to foundations shifted off. Brick veneers fall and expose frames. Environment : Cracking of ground conspicuous. Landsliding general on steep slopes. Liquefaction effects intensified and more widespread, with large lateral spreading and flow sliding adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
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