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Saturday 28 January 2012

Another Natural Disaster!

Someone obviously wants to tell us something...  My camera has finally given up it's ghost, so no photos of the devastation this time.  Northern Italy was rocked by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake yesterday afternoon.  We were in Florence with a friend for the day and didn't notice anything, but Cousin Bart and Eddie the Beagle stayed at home and got one almighty fright.

Listening to the various accounts, many people have felt the tremors, but we appear to be the only ones who have actually sustained any damage.  Apparently it rained some 200 bricks off of our 3-storey high roof onto the little piazza outside our front door.  Half the roof, many of the stone gutters and possibly a chimney have collapsed on our 300 year old building.  The emergency services have sealed off our front door and the area in front of our house.  There is still a lot of loose debris up there.  Also many of the large stones the locals use for holding down there roof tiles, look precariously close to the edge all of a sudden.

Miraculously we have not been evacuated as the structure inside the building still appears sound.  We don't own the the top floor of the building, so are not directly beneath the roof.  Now we are just hoping there are no more shocks (it was the second in the 3 days) making the damage any worse and no heavy rains, which may pour through the damaged roof.

It's quite ironic this happening in the aftermath of the recent floods and us being in the process of considering to move on.  Somebody seems to be giving us rather large hints here...

9 comments:

chaiselongue1 said...

I'm glad you're safe and your house is OK (apart from the bricks) - it must have been frightening! Does this make you more likely to move on...it does seem like a hint. Hope there aren't too many aftershocks.

Mr. H. said...

What a terrible situation...will they be able to repair it anytime soon? Glad to hear that you are OK...be careful.

Stefaneener said...

You may be right about those hints. What an unstable area (in a lot of ways) you're sitting in right now. I can't wait to see what adventure you both come up with.

Ruth Trowbridge said...

Sorry to hear this - sometimes when the terrain is too rough it gives us a good excuse to take another path - not like you needed a kick in the pants - sending positive wishes from across the sea - peace

Heiko said...

Chaiselongue, this event certainly has given us more food for thought. It's been quiet since.

Mr.H, This being the weekend they so far only sealed off the area and we haven't seen anyone since. I imagine this would turn out to be a fairly major job with some serious scaffolding needed. We can only hope they get on with it soon.

Stefani, I'm not a religious man, but sometimes you just know you are fighting a loosing battle.

Ruth, thanks for the positive vibes, as long as they don't shake our house too much... ;)

Jan said...

Oh goodness, lucky the damage wasn't any worse. I haven't been watching much tv so had no idea that Italy had been earthquaking. I imagine that there's much discussion going on!

Heiko said...

J, what I want to know is, what we have done to deserve to be the only ones in all of Northern Italy who have had any damage?

Angela said...

It actually sounds like a Bible story, like Noah and his arc (have you seen that hilarious movie?), or one of the Prophets (Jonas)where God has to become very clear about you obeying!!!
So ,better start packing, but where to? You have learned so much about wild food and all the things one can possibly eat and live from, maybe you ought to actually go to Africa, or another country where they could profit from your wisdom? I mean it, you have lead quite an unusual life so far, knowing many languages (sogar Platt) and especially how to survive (you were taught THAT, indeed) - maybe there is a plan behind all this? Who knows, but it is worth a thought. Buddhists say that in the end we all become healers (after all the other lives we have learned and profited from others).
I like your humour, too, Heiko. And of course Werder is the best football club, who would deny that!The baby`s daddy is actually a law professor, but his devotion for Bremen makes him bearable, haha!

Heiko said...

Angela, it sounds more like the story of Job, where god sees how far he can push him! Africa is a place I've never been to although have been drawn to. I'd love to visit Mali for the music alone! But, whilst I could settle anywhere, I have at least Susan to consider as well... So who knows. I'll post something in the next week or so on our thoughts...