Derna, Cyrenaica, Libya. Unusually heavy rains cause two dams to collapse, and the wave overwhelms the city of Derna, killing at least 11,300 people. “In a matter of seconds the water level suddenly rose,” said one injured survivor who said he and his mother were
The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the pandemic emergency caused by Covid-19 over. It was declared at the beginning of 2020, and in 40 months it has caused 7 million deaths and at least 20 million estimated. The infected people have been 764 million and
Gaziantep, Turkey. A very strong earthquake of magnitude 7.8, at a depth of 17.9Km, hits a 200Km strip in the South-East of Turkey, on the border with Syria. The death toll is almost fifty thousand between Turkey and Syria.
Bagnolo in Piano, Reggio Emilia. Two earthquakes of 4.0 and 4.3 on the Richter scale hit the area, the first at about 8:00 p.m. and the second an hour later.
Peak of the fourth wave of Covid-19 infections in Italy, with 200 thousand new cases per day. In the United States in the same period they will reach one million new cases in one day. However, hospitalizations in intensive care and deaths are significantly lower
US President Joe Biden reopens the Wuhan laboratory trail, on the artificial origin of the virus that gave rise to Covid-19. He asks that US intelligence complete an investigation, which will then be inconclusive. What is concrete is that at least 3 researchers from the
The number of Covid-19 cases counted worldwide exceeds 60 million. The real (uncounted) ones probably reach one billion according to the WHO. The number of counted deaths exceeds one and a half million, but the real number is probably much higher. Europe is finishing the
Japan also declares a state of emergency for Covid-19. The State has earmarked a significant allocation to support the Japanese economy: 108 trillion yen equal to almost 1000 billion dollars. A real bazooka, a whatever it takes, also aimed at containing a blow to the
Covid-19: Over 3.9 billion people are in lockdown, more than half the world’s population, in 90 countries and territories. The number of cases worldwide reaches one million. The United Nations considers this the biggest global crisis since World War II.
Italy. The government allocates 400 billion euros to support businesses and families, for the recovery during and after the lockdown for Covid-19.
Covid-19: More than 3.38 billion people in 78 countries and territories worldwide are under some form of restriction in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus. That’s about 43% of the world’s total population. Most – at least 2.45 billion people in 42
Covid-19 cases surpass 100,000 in the United States, making it the world’s leading country in number of infections
Washington DC. Covid-19: Agreement reached in the United States on the USD 2 trillion plan to revive the economy. The Republican majority in the United States Senate announced that it has reached an agreement with the Democrats and the White House on the “historic” plan
The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Italy exceeds those in China. 3,405 in Italy, while in China, since December, 3,242 people have died from COVID-19. In Italy, the deaths are increasing at a rate of 500 people per day, the total number of infected
United States. The Federal Reserve has committed to buying up to $1 trillion of commercial paper, i.e. debt securities with a guarantee of up to 270 days, to stabilize markets in response to the financial storm following Covid-19.
World Health Organization declares Pandemic for CoVid-19 or Coronavirus.
Italy. Quarantine measures (called by Prime Minister Conte “I stay at home”) are extended to the entire national territory.
Italy. Prime Minister Conte takes quarantine measures for the Coronavirus emergency with mobility limitations for all of Lombardy, part of Veneto, Piedmont, and Emilia Romagna.
Wuhan, China. The Huanan market, where Covid-19 supposedly originated, is being massively cleaned and disinfected. The first inspectors from the World Health Organization (WHO) will only be admitted eleven months later.
Italy. First Italian positive for CoVid-19 or Coronavirus, without ever having been to China. It is the beginning of the epidemic case also in Italy, first among the countries of Western Europe. In a few weeks there will be several thousand positive Italians.
Wuhan, China. A new strain of coronavirus (2019-nCoV the virus, while the disease is COVID-19) spreads in Wuhan, which goes into lockdown on January 23. Within a few days the victims increase exponentially, and the entire region, of 56 million people, is isolated by the
Wuhan, China. The 34-year-old doctor (ophthalmologist) Li Wenliang is the first to speak about the Covid-19 virus on the very popular messaging app WeChat. He will be stopped by the police, interrogated, accused of spreading false news, forced to sign a self-declaration and confession of
Wuhan Epidemiological Laboratory, China. At least 3 researchers from the Chinese laboratory in Wuhan, simultaneously get sick with symptoms similar to those of Covid-19. Furthermore, on June 18, 2021, an American researcher (Jesse D. Bloom of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle) finds
Earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale in southwestern Mexico.
Norcia, central Italy. Earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale. Several collapses and dozens injured, but no victims.
Two earthquakes of 5.5 and 6.1 on the Richter scale hit the same region of Amatrice hit in August. This time there are no victims.
Amatrice, central Italy. An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale strikes during the night. Many buildings collapse, and 295 people die.
Mecca. During a sandstorm, a giant crane falls on the Great Mosque, partially collapsing its ceiling. 107 people are dead and 238 are injured.
The Ebola epidemic has already caused 4,000 deaths and 9,000 infections, almost all in West Africa, but some cases are present in the United States and Europe.
The worst Ebola epidemic ever seen since the virus was discovered in 1976 breaks out in West Africa. In 4 months it has caused over a thousand deaths and is spreading to other continents.
Modena. The Secchia river breaks its right bank at the Ponte dell’Uccellino and floods the Modena lowlands for tens of square kilometers with up to 2m of water, mud and debris.
Fivizzano, Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Earthquake of magnitude 5.2. Damage to property but no victims.
Modena. A tornado and a strong hailstorm with hailstones as big as fists cause damage and injuries in the provinces of Modena and Mantua.
Emilia. 9:03 pm. Another earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shakes the Modena lowlands again.
Emilia. 9:00 am. A second earthquake of magnitude 5.8 Richter at a depth of only 7 or 8 km, is unleashed in the Modena lowlands, striking people at work. Several industrial warehouses collapse. The death toll in two weeks of tremors is 17, and 350
Finale Emilia, Bassa Modenese. Half of the Clock Tower collapses. The photo of the clock broken in half of the tower becomes the symbol of the earthquake. The tower will collapse a few hours later, in the afternoon.
Emilia. 4:04 am. An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale at a depth of just 6.3 km below Finale Emilia shakes the lower Modena and Ferrara areas. There are 7 confirmed deaths, approximately 50 injured, 5,000 displaced people and considerable damage to cultural heritage
United States. A series of more than 130 tornadoes (some a mile in diameter) that devastated the south of the country have killed 337 people. 246 people died in Alabama alone.
6:46 am Italian time: Northeast Japan: earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale and tsunami, causing about 20,000 deaths up to the Tokyo region. The terrible tsunami that follows the earthquake causes even greater damage throughout the area. 10 nuclear power plants automatically shut down.
A British Petroleum oil platform (new name: Beyond Petroleum) catches fire and then sinks in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil that will continue to flow out of the field for weeks will produce an environmental disaster of enormous proportions. Incredibly, scientific analyses conducted after
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (pronounced ˈɛɪjaˌfjatlaˌjœːkʏtl̥) in southern Iceland causes a huge ash cloud that closes most European airports for days
Earthquake 8.8 on the Richter scale off the coast of Chile
Earthquake 7.0 Richter scale not far from Port-au-Prince in Haiti: the victims will be over 200 000, over 300 000 homeless; a few hours after the tragedy, international solidarity coordinated by the American military begins
Earthquake 7.6 Richter scale in southern Sumatra island: 1100 dead
Earthquake 8.0 Richter Scale, Tsunami in American Samoa: 168 Dead
3:30 am. Earthquake, magnitude 5.8 Richter, in Abruzzo, with epicenter L’Aquila. There will be almost 300 victims and about 30,000 displaced.
In Sichuan province, in central China, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale strikes, leaving over 60,000 dead, millions homeless
Nargis monsoon hits Myanmar (Burma) causing perhaps over 100,000 deaths, the regime initially denies the tragedy and then hinders the arrival of relief, finally tries to take credit for the little relief that has reached the population
Multiple fires in Southern California: at least six dead, 45 injured, one million displaced, 1155 homes destroyed, 172 thousand hectares of vegetation in ashes, one billion dollars in damage
A 7.6 earthquake on the Richter scale devastates Kashmir, killing over 40,000 people in Pakistan and around 1,500 on the Indian side of the border
Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, 80% of the city is flooded, in some places the water reaches 6 meters, thousands are dead, the city is evacuated
very violent earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the western coast of Sumatra triggers Tsunamis travelling at 800km/h, upon reaching the coast the wave slows down and rises for a good 10 metres, it is a catastrophe in the entire area: Indonesia (200,000
Earthquake 6.5 Richter Scale Razes City of Bam in Iran, Death toll 50,000
Earthquake 6.5 Richter Scale in Los Angeles, Only 2 Victims
Earthquake of 6th Richter scale in Algeria: more than 2000 dead; a few days later an earthquake of 7th Richter scale in Northern Japan leaves no victims
From South-East China an epidemic of atypical pneumonia (SARS) spreads throughout the world; in the first months of the contagion, the Chinese authorities try to keep the news hidden and then downplay it
Earthquake 7.9 on the Richter scale in Northwest India, tens of thousands dead in an area populated by 250 million people
Flooding in Val D’Aosta, Piedmont and Liguria and the Po reaches higher levels than the 1951 flood, without overflowing
Earthquake in Taiwan: 7.8 on the Richter scale, 2000 dead
Earthquake in Türkiye: 7.8 on the Richter scale, 17,000 dead
Yangtze overflows in China; the flood directly involves 300 million people, inundates a territory almost twice the size of Italy and destroys 10% of annual crops
Tsunami in Papua New Guinea, with a 10m high wave, causes 3000 deaths, the earthquake was 7.1 on the Richter scale
Earthquake in Emilia (VII degree on the Mercalli scale, 5.4 on the Richter scale), epicenter in Correggio
Earthquake 7.2 Richter scale in Osaka and Kobe (6394 deaths, 99 billion USD damage)
3 days of violent storms on the entire American East Coast, from Florida to Maine: 270 dead in the worst storm of the century
Hurricane Andrew Destroys 135,000 Homes on US East Coast, Causing “Only” 44 Deaths
Eruption of Pinatubo volcano in the Philippines: it is the largest of the century. The American base of Clark had just been evacuated as a precaution (which marks the end of the American presence in the Philippines)