Italian authorities 'ignored earthquake warning'
Italian authorities 'ignored an earthquake warning'
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Tuesday, 07, Apr 2009 06:06
A seismologist has claimed Italian authorities ignored his warnings ahead of Monday's earthquake which has left almost 180 people dead.
Gioacchino Giuliani alleges he warned a "Big One" was on its way and tried to notify locals that a devastating quake was due soon.
Dr Giuliani, from the Institute of Nuclear Physics, is quoted as saying: "The authorities have these deaths on their conscience."
He claims his warnings were ignored and he was reported to police for spreading panic. The Reuters news agency claims the expert was even asked to remove his predictions from his website.
"I could see what was about to happen and I could not do anything because I had been warned not to say anything about an earthquake," Dr Giuliani continued.
"Now there are deaths and thousands of people without a home. The region didn’t even go through this during the bombing of the second world war.
"I was called an idiot and told that earthquakes just cannot be predicted. Now I am trembling with anger."
Rescue operations are continuing this morning to search for survivors. The death toll currently stands at 179, but is expected to rise.
Some 50,000 are reported to have been left homeless after Monday's devastating quake.