Earthquake Devastates Messina, Italy
The earthquake that devastated Messina, Italy, on December 28, 1908, is considered one of the most catastrophic seismic events in European history. Located in the northeast region of Sicily on the Strait of Messina, the city, founded by the Greeks in the eighth century B.C., was struck by a quake estimated to have registered about 7.5 on the Richter scale. The tremor unleashed powerful tidal waves, reaching heights of up to 40 feet, which impacted the region for nearly two hours. At the time, Messina had a population of around 150,000, and the earthquake, along with the subsequent tsunamis, resulted in the tragic loss of approximately 80,000 to 100,000 lives. The neighboring city of Reggio Calabria and many surrounding towns also suffered extensive destruction. Despite this devastation, Messina has since rebuilt and now boasts a population exceeding 250,000. The event is remembered not only for its immense human toll but also for its lasting impact on the region's history and development.
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Earthquake Devastates Messina, Italy
Earthquake Devastates Messina, Italy
Located in the northeast region of the island of Sicily on the Strait of Messina, the Italian city of Messina was first founded by the Greeks in the eighth century b.c. Occupying an important strategic and commercial site for millennia, the city was almost totally destroyed by a massive earthquake nearly a century ago. Early in the morning of December 28, 1908, a quake that probably would have registered about 7.5 on the modern Richter scale struck the region. The energy it unleashed also generated tidal waves up to 40 feet high, that were repeated for nearly two hours. Messina, with a population of roughly 150,000 people at the time, was devastated. So was the neighboring city of Reggio Calabria, with a population of roughly 50,000 people, in addition to many local towns and villages. The combination of the earthquake and the tidal waves that followed it resulted in approximately 80,000 to 100,000 deaths, making it the worst known earthquake in European history. Today however, the city has more than 250,000 inhabitants.