Earthquake Rattles Rome, Shaking Historic Palazzi
Post date: Oct 27, 2016 5:10:50 PM
By NICOLE WINFIELD AND COLLEEN BARRY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
ROME — Oct 26, 2016, 11:57 PM ET
A pair of strong aftershocks have shaken central Italy, crumbling churches and buildings, knocking out power and sending panicked residents into the rain-drenched streets just two months after a powerful earthquake killed nearly 300 people
The first struck at 7:10 p.m. and carried a magnitude of 5.4. But the second one was eight times stronger at 6.1, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Because many residents had already left their homes with plans to spend the night in their cars or elsewhere, they weren't home when the second aftershock hit two hours later, possibly saving lives, officials said.