Messina earthquake in 1908

Seismogram of the Hohe Warte station ( ZAMG ), Vienna

Destruction in the city center of Messina

After the earthquake in Messina

The destroyed church of San Rocco in Palmi

The Messina earthquake in Italy in 1908 was the worst natural disaster in Europe of the 20th century after victims .

On December 28, 1908 at 5:21 a.m., the region around the Strait of Messina was shaken for 37 seconds by a strong earthquake , the cities of Messina , Reggio Calabria and Palmi were almost completely destroyed. According to comparative calculations, the quake had a magnitude of 7.2 on the moment magnitude scale .

A tsunami that followed the tremors caused further damage and claimed further victims. Estimates of the number of victims differ: In Messina and Reggio Calabria, between 72,000 and 110,000 people lost their lives.

The damages

Almost all buildings in Messina were badly damaged or destroyed, including the cathedral , many public buildings and also the palazzata on the harbor promenade, an imposing, uniform one and a half kilometer long facade facing the sea, which includes the town hall behind it, the silk factories and the trading and banks was partially faded in. She connected them with it and gave them a uniform palatial facade facing the sea.

Reggio Calabria also suffered severe damage, including the Real Palazzina on the waterfront, the Villa Genoese-Zerbi , the Baroque cathedral and the Byzantine basilica Cattolica dei Greci . Both cities lost a large part of their architectural heritage of the past centuries.

Relief efforts

First aid measures were provided by the surviving crew members of the cruiser Piemonte and other naval ships. In addition, the Russian naval units rushed to the south from Augusta and a little later British warships were on hand. One who also excelled in providing professional help was the Swiss doctor Walter Sahli .