Seismic activity in Southern Italy

4.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Sicily

the Extinction Protocol,

4 January, 2013

SICILY, Italy – Earthquakes in Italy today: Sicily, Marche, Lazio, Umbria, Calabria and Basilicata regions affected. Today, the INGV has recorded four earthquakes in Italy that have affected districts seismic Gulf of Patti and Milazzo (magnitude 2.4), the Lipari Islands (magnitude 2.4 and 2.3) and Monti Reatini (magnitude 2). Affected the provinces of Messina, Rieti, Italy, Ascoli Piceno and Perugia. Yesterday, including those not yet reported, were recorded in the districts seismic shock of the Sea of ​​Sicily (magnitude 2.9), the Lipari Islands (magnitude 2.7), the island of Ustica (magnitude 2.4) and Pollino (magnitude 2.1). Affected the provinces of Messina, Palermo, Cosenza and Power. A shallow 4.6 (USGS) magnitude earthquake also struck Sicily at a depth of 9.2 km (5.7 miles). The epicenter of the earthquake was 5 km (3 miles) from Maniace, 52 km (32 miles) NNW (332°) from Catania, Sicily, Italy and 72 km (45 miles) from Messina. The earthquake was felt by the population in the provinces of Messina and Catania, the town next to the epicenter are the municipalities of San Teodoro, Cesarò and Maniace. The earthquake was recorded at 8:50 am. –Corriere Web (translated) USGS

Mt. Vesuvius: living in the danger zone of one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes

Slate.com,

4 January, 2013

I have a hard time seeing this as anything other than a paean to humanity’s inability to learn:

This was the view out the International Space Station’s cupola on Jan. 1, 2013, around 09:37 UTC, looking nearly straight down the gullet of Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius.

 Perhaps you’ve heard of it? Just a little more than 1,900 years ago, it blew its top in the most famous volcanic eruption in recorded history. About 16,000 people lost their lives that day due to pyroclastic flow—searing hot ash blasting outward from the stratovolcano’s maw.

The volcano has erupted many times since then, including in the 20th century. Got that? It’s still active. Now take another look at that photo, and let the volcano’s surroundings settle in to your mind. It sits just a few kilometers from Naples, and more than half a million people live in the volcano’s red zone—where destruction from a big eruption would be swift and brutal.

That’s why volcanologists consider it the world’s most dangerous volcano. Given all we've learned about volcanoes in the past few decades, I hope scientists would be able to give people a few days' warning about an eruption. Science, after all, saves lives.

I have to admit, the ISS photo makes it clear how incredibly beautiful that area is and how wonderful it must be to live there. And, not to coin a cliché, I’ll admit: I’d love to visit, but I’d certainly not want to live there.