Earthquake

This morning I awoke to the radio news of an earthquake in Italy. The epicenter was l'Aquila. At 5.30 this morning I heard that there were 9 dead… by 6.00 the news was 30 confirmed dead… by 7.30 there were 72, and the death toll rising. I was able to download news from the internet and the photos from Reuters and Associated Press. These I pasted on my laptop for a slideshow when my students came in for the 8.10 class. None of them had heard yet of the earthquake. We offered our start-up prayer for the victims, and I have to say that the thought of this disaster has been with me all day.

Checking with family and friends in Rome, where they felt the shake intensely, all the people that I know are safe. Thanks be to God, the five Salesians and the 100 university students who lodge with them in the student hostel that is Istituto S. Giovanni Bosco at L'Aquila are all safe. As soon as the first shock hit, the entire community rushed out into the inner courtyard of the Institute, and they remained there until morning light. Only then did they chance to go back into the building. The building sustained grave damage, but not one of the educators or university students were the least injured. By afternoon, all the students had left to return to their homes.

So the Salesians at the epicenter are all safe. I wonder at this point how my friends in Rome are doing. L'Aquila is only about 80 km from Rome. The quake was strongly felt there too, but I have not heard if there has been damage. I am anxious to hear.

Now we pray and we wait. Rescue workers have been busy since the first quake, and they continue now to extract the injured. Italians are ready to volunteer but the rescue is very much under control. All that has been asked now is that people donate blood to the Red Cross.


In the meantime, I heard from my geologist cousin Salvatore, who writes today:

ENNESIMO LUTTO IN ITALIA. SONO VICINO ALLE FAMIGLIE TERREMOTATE. MA PERCHE' IN ITALIA NON C'E' PREVENZIONE? PERCHE' NOI GEOLOGI NON SIAMO INTERPELLATI? NON MI RIFERISCO ALLA POLEMICA DIVAMPATA RIGUARDANTE IL DOTT. GIULIANI, LA SUA TEORIA NON E' ANCORA RICONOSCIUTA DALLA COMUNITA' SCIENTIFICA INTERNAZIONALE. I TERREMOTI CON LE NOSTRE CONOSCENZE SCIENTIFICHE NON SI POSSONO PREVEDERE. MI RIFERISCO AL CONTROLLO PUNTUALE DEL TERRITORIO. I SOLDI CHE SONO STANZIATI PER L'EMERGENZA PERCHE' NON SONO STANZIATI PER LA PREVENZIONE? NOI GEOLOGI GRIDIAMO TUTTO' CIO' DA ANNI MA SIAMO IGNORATI, LA NOSTRA E' UNA CATEGORIA DI PROFESSIONISTI CHE PER INTERVENIRE FA' SPENDERE SOLDI PER PREVENIRE LE CATASTROFI E QUESTO I POLITICI NON LO AMMETTONO. PER LORO E' TEMPO E DENARO SPRECATO.

What can I say? I agree with him.