Terremoti!

                                                             

I wonder if  the word 'Terrified' somehow comes from this word above? It certainly is terrifying to live through what has been called a 'swarm of earthquakes or tremors. I know it does not compare to anything that happened in Turkey- the biggest one we had was 'only' 3.5, on Wednesday evening, just as I was enjoying a ZOOM call with my London and Berlin short story group. 

Having finished discussing the short story- the Sandman, by Hoffman- we started talking about the earthquake in Turkey, and then went on to reminisce about various earth quake experiences we have had personally, when suddenly it felt like a ten tonne truck had just smashed into my building! 

' i think we are having an earthquake' I said, and they laughed... somewhat uneasily, probably feeling it was a joke in bad taste. 

That was the biggest one, and the beginning of a few nightmarish days here which are not over yet. I might  have to get out quickly, so writing this in haste... 

(there is a good app here , which shows all the earthquakes around the world as they happen: http://terremoti.ingv.it/)

The first one has been followed by many many tremors; at first every half an hour or so, and now less frequently, but it is all totally unpredictable, and that is really the worst thing. Ones home, the place of security and peace, has become the place of danger..! This is highly unusual in Siena, not really normally a high risk area for earth quakes. The last recorded incidents of this importance were in the 1950s. Therefore the Senese are unused to it, and it has caused real fear in the city. 

People at first congregated at the Piazza del Campo at night, wrapped in blankets and some in their slippers. Some people slept in their cars that first night. I am now dog sitting for Hettie again who has gone to Canada for a week, so I couldn't leave even if I wanted to! Many have left to city,  the schools and the university, as well as Museums etc have been closed, but  normal shops, hairdressers, the banks etc have remained open. 

Although there has been no real damage to people or buildings, this is no joke. 

There was another at 2.5 about half an hour ago... I will stop now, going into the Chianti countryside this afternoon with my friend Lisa in her car... speak soon..