After four years of relative inactivity seismically speaking, the plates under Italy have begun to move. Since August, we have been experiencing tremors and some quakes of various intensities, and it is really affecting everyone around here.
Amatrice suffered complete collapse, and over 300 deaths (I don't know the exact toll); in any case, the community is shattered physically and emotionally. Since that time, Castelluccio di Norcia (of the beautiful flowered plains) has been levelled, with the exception of some modern buildings. Several important churches in Norcia (including the Basilica of Saint Benedict) have been crushed, and photos of the road show a vertical shift of 8" and more. The amount of energy in these movements is truly impressive.
In the meantime, we in Todi continue to feel tremors, aftershocks, and so on. The tremors are happening on some level every 5 minutes or so, and while one doesn't always feel them specifically, we are walking around feeling mildly seasick.
Sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's real or psychosomatic, but Ashley and I in particular are feeling rather queasy and ready for this amusement park ride to stop. At times, I am awoken by the bed's shaking; it seems to happen when the quakes are 3.8 or higher. Getting to sleep can be difficult because it feels as though I'm on a raft in the ocean. There are several locals who are sleeping in their cars.
Our sufferings are absolutely trivial in the context of what is happening a few short miles away, but I figured I'd document what our experiences are.
Love,
Alexandra
Amatrice suffered complete collapse, and over 300 deaths (I don't know the exact toll); in any case, the community is shattered physically and emotionally. Since that time, Castelluccio di Norcia (of the beautiful flowered plains) has been levelled, with the exception of some modern buildings. Several important churches in Norcia (including the Basilica of Saint Benedict) have been crushed, and photos of the road show a vertical shift of 8" and more. The amount of energy in these movements is truly impressive.
In the meantime, we in Todi continue to feel tremors, aftershocks, and so on. The tremors are happening on some level every 5 minutes or so, and while one doesn't always feel them specifically, we are walking around feeling mildly seasick.
Sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's real or psychosomatic, but Ashley and I in particular are feeling rather queasy and ready for this amusement park ride to stop. At times, I am awoken by the bed's shaking; it seems to happen when the quakes are 3.8 or higher. Getting to sleep can be difficult because it feels as though I'm on a raft in the ocean. There are several locals who are sleeping in their cars.
Our sufferings are absolutely trivial in the context of what is happening a few short miles away, but I figured I'd document what our experiences are.
Love,
Alexandra
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