History

Italy remembers Irpinia earthquake 40 years ago. Almost 3 thousand dead

Published

November 23th, 2020

The Irpinia earthquake was the worst catastrophe in the Republic, according to President Mattarella

It was November 23, 1980 when at 19:34 p.m. in Italy, a magnitude 6,9 earthquake struck Campania, Basilicata and Apulia. The earthquake de Irpinia It was “the worst catastrophe in the Republic”, recalled President Sergio Mattarella, this Monday (23).

The numbers are impressive: 2.914 victims, 8 thousand injured, 300 thousand houses destroyed or unusable, 18 municipalities devastated and another 99 devastated.

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In all, 679 municipalities in eight provinces were affected by the earthquake (Avellino, Salerno, Potenza – the most affected –, Benevento, Caserta, Matera, Naples and Foggia).

“Forty years have passed since the terrible tragedy caused by the earthquake that devastated Irpinia and Basilicata, also affecting part of Apulia. First of all, I would like to remember the victims, and with them the inextinguishable pain of their families, to whom I express my feeling of closeness”, said Mattarella.

Many lives could not be saved due to difficulties and delays in rescue.

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