Italians evacuate Rome over 'big one' fears (1915 seismologist predictions of a giant earthquake)

The Telegraph ^ | 05/10/2011 | Nick Pisa in Rome

[SeekAndFind]

Businesses have reported requests from one in five people to have time off work and many are also keeping children away from school and heading to the beach or country for the day.

Romans are taking it so seriously that local newspapers have even been publishing survival guides with tips of what to do – if – the ground starts to tremble.

The panic has been fanned by Facebook, Twitter and text messages around a prediction by Raffaele Bendani, a seismologist who forecast in 1915 that a "big one" would hit Rome on Wednesday.

He is also said to have predicted other earthquakes which hit Italy during the last hundred years before his death in 1979.

Massimo La Rocca, headmaster of a school in the Trastevere district, said: "We have had quite a few parents calling in and saying they will not be sending their children in.

"I've told them the school will remain open and there is nothing to be scared about but they are adamant – although this is not a justifiable absence for a pupil."

A barman named Massimo said: "People have been talking about this for the last week. I know dozens who are taking the day off – I'm going to sleep in the camper van with the wife to be on the safe side."

Bendandi believed movement of plates and therefore earthquakes were the result of the combined movements of the planets, the moon and the sun and perfectly predictable.

In 1923 he predicted a quake would hit central Italy on January 2 the following year – he was wrong by two days.

For his work Bendandi was even given a knighthood by Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini – and ordered not to make any more predictions on pain of exile

[billorites]

Pity that Bendani didn’t predict the “big one” for a Friday or a Monday.

[familyop]

LOL!

[pepsi_junkie]

If the Pope leaves town carrying the 3rd secret in his hand, I’ll worry.

[billorites]

Even if the Mayan Prophecy thingy doesn't work out at least some people will get a nice three day weekend next year. Possibly even longer.

[kalee]

“For his work Bendandi was even given a knighthood by Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini – and ordered not to make any more predictions on pain of exile”

lol

[21twelve]

Good and Bad:

My son is going to visit Rome in June with his class, so really thankful he won’t be there this Weds.!

But, I hope it isn’t too damaged for his tour. I can’t recall if we got the trip insurance for him.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

A year ago, before I ever heard of this seismologist or his prediction, I had a dream I was in Rome.

In my dream, a massive earthquake struck as I was standing in the street. Every building as far as I could see had completely collapsed into a pile of rubble....the entire city was destroyed.

I grabbed my cellphone and frantically tried to call for help, assuming people were still alive in the rubble.

Then I woke up.

And now this prediction. Bizarre.

[Misterioso]

“Seismologist” in 1915? LOL.

[Misterioso]

No. What would be bizarre is if the dream was yesterday.

[colorado tanker]

There aren't any major faults under Rome, so this is very unlikely. Most Italian earthquakes are in the Apennines, which are over a fault.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Last “big one” was in Dec 1908 in Sicily, where a great-grandparent of mine survived and headed for America.

[Harold Shea]

I`ve been through two major floods,two tornados,a cyclone,

an ammo dump explosion...no earthquake yet..pray the Madrid

holds together

[tcrlaf]

“There aren’t any major faults under Rome, so this is very unlikely.”

OOPS...
A 6.3 quake struck in central Italy in April, 2009, about 60 miles north of Rome, killing 308 people, and damaging somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 buildings.

It was felt even in Rome, as the ancient lake bed magnifies the Earthquake waves.

A major earthquake in 443 A.D. heavily damaged the Colosseum, requiring an extensive rebuild during the reign of Flavius Placidius Valentinianus.

[steve86]

That’s actually a pretty witty remark especially for those of us who yearn to hear the true Third Secret.

[colorado tanker]

Like I said, no major faults under Rome. The Flavian Amphitheater has been there a very long time.

That's not to say when a quake hits up in the mountains things don't shake, rattle and roll a little in the city, however.

[Pontiac]

“Seismologist” in 1915? LOL.

Plate tectonics theory wasn’t even developed until the 1960’s

[Myrddin]

There is an active group of sunspots pointed at the earth on March 11th (Japan earthquake) and a month later (tornado outbreak). They come
around every 29 days. If they are still active, tomorrow could bring
some interesting effects somewhereon earth.

[dljordan]

“also keeping children away from school and heading to the beach or country for the day.”

I don’t think I want to be on the BEACH when the earthquake hits.

[GCC Catholic]

So far, all’s clear in the Eternal City. Not so much as a tremor on the boot according to USGS:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/region/Europe.php

Another article that I was reading said that there is no record in any of Bendandi’s works of an earthquake in Rome tomorrow, or any others anywhere else since 1977. I hope they’re right... or tomorrow is going to be a bad day.