Italy: Video of Earthquake scene in Central Italy around L'Aquila in the Apennines (6/4/09)

More than 100 people are believed dead and as many as 50,000 are left homeless after an earthquake hit L'Aquila and other towns in central Italy. About 1,500 people were injured and many people are still missing as rescuers search desperately for survivors trapped beneath rubble. The 6.3-magnitude quake struck at 0330 (0130 GMT) close to L'Aquila

Tectonic Summary

The April 6th 2009 earthquake in Central Italy occurred as a result of normal faulting on a NW-SE oriented structure in the central Apennines, a mountain belt that runs from the Gulf of Taranto in the south to the southern edge of the Po basin in northern Italy. Geologically, the Apennines are largely an accretionary wedge formed as a consequence of subduction. This region is tectonically and geologically complex, involving both subduction of the Adria micro-plate beneath the Apennines from east to west, continental collision between the Eurasia and Africa plates building the Alpine mountain belt further to the north and the opening of the Tyrrhenian basin to the west. The evolution of this system has caused the expression of all different tectonic styles acting at the same time in a broad region surrounding Italy and the central Mediterranean. The April 6th, 2009 earthquake is related to normal faulting and the east-west extensional tectonics that dominate along the entire Apennine belt, primarily a response to the Tyrrhenian basin opening faster than the compression between the Eurasian and African plates.(USGS)

Ethiopia Drought-4.3 million people at risk of starvation according to Concern

In parts of Ethiopia, right now, 4.3 million people are at risk of starvation because of a prolonged drought. Concern is trying to help thousands of children and their families by providing urgently-needed food and healthcare. 75000 are in need of emergency medical assistance.

Some parts of Ethiopia have had only three days rain since last September. A similar drought has also struck neighbouring Kenya and Somalia. The March rainfall was pitiful. Many areas got no rainfall in March. Because of crop failure food prices have rocketed as hunger stalks the land.

Many of the poorest people are so hungry that they have resorted to eating the seeds they would have planted before the next rains due in July . Some mothers have stopped eating altogether, so that their children wont starve.

Concern volunteers in Ethiopia have to make awful choices. Because there are not enough funds to treat everyone the aid workers must focus on children under five years old and turn away other sick children. They have to choose between life and death.

Concern needs to raise €6 million to to cover the cost of food, medicine, seeds and tools to keep families going until December when the next harvest is due.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia:

As well as the regions in Ethiopia affected by drought, similar conditions are beginning to take hold in neighbouring Somalia and Kenya too. To donate click here

Click on thumbnail images to enlarge:

Austin Keenan, regional director for the Horn of Africa, recently talked to Concern employees about the situation in Ethiopia. Austin had just returned from Ethiopia several days before. During the talk, he described exactly how serious the crisis is becoming, how families are being affected, and what Concern is doing to help.

To listen to the podcast please click on the player below.