Historic buildings, churches
and convents were damaged in the Mugello area south of Florence
as a series of earthquakes hit the area Sunday night and Monday
morning, the strongest measuring 4.5 magnitude.
High-speed train services between Milan and Rome were
interrupted for a couple of hours after the 4.5 mag tremor.
Delays of over two hours are currently being reported.
Many people left their homes because of fear or safety
reasons.
Former Florence mayor, ex-premier and former Democratic Party
(PD) leader Matteo Renzi, who now leads the new centrist Italia
Viva (IV) party, said "I hug all those who have had to leave
their homes".
PD leader Nicola Zingaretti, the governor of neighbouring
Lazio, said "we are close to all the citizens affected".
Many schools in the area were closed as a precautionary
measure.
Immediately after the biggest quake an aid and cultural
association from the large Chinese community in Prato set off
for the Miugello area.
Florence Mayor Dario Nardella said there were no problems for
local mobility and that all roads and bridges were safe.
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