This is a clip showing the damage to a ceiling in our house in Fontecchio, 25 km from the epicentre of the first earthquake on 6th April, 12 km from the second on the 7th. Fontecchio is not included on the list of 'comuni colpiti' (communities hit by the earthquake). This means that the residents are not entitled to ANY financial help at this stage. They are living in tents in a camp behind the village, though some, many with children, have left the area to stay in hotels as they were instructed to do, after the earthquake. They will now have to pay for those hotel rooms. They have been told, some of them, that their houses are uninhabitable, so where are they supposed to go if they can't afford hotels? How will they pay for the two weeks they've already been there?
According to the law, the community must have been hit by an earthquake at least 6 on the Mercalli scale, an Italian scale which is based on damage caused and the experience of people on the ground. 6 is described thus: "Felt by all; many frightened and run outdoors, walk unsteadily. Windows, dishes, glassware broken; books fall off shelves; some heavy furniture moved or overturned; a few instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight."
DAMAGE SLIGHT...
Apparently the authorities who came to Fontecchio (when? what did they look at?) assessed the village as below 6, so here's the description of 5: "Felt outside by most, may not be felt by some outside in non-favourable conditions. Dishes and windows may break and large bells will ring. Vibrations like large train passing close to house."
Fontecchio didn't need to be evacuated. We ran for it. Ridiculous to suggest that people might not have felt it. Many houses as well as ours have lost ceilings. Not much like a passing train..
A disgrace. Other villages over 50 km from the epicentre are included on this list. It's an insult and an injustice that must be addressed.