This has been such a sad weekend for Italy that, like many others here, I cannot stop crying. For those of you who may not yet have seen the news, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Northern Italy this morning, leaving at least six dead, 50 injured and perhaps thousands displaced. The epicentre was 2.4 miles from Camposanto in the Province of Modena, 22 miles north of Bologna. To give you an idea of the magnitude, the L'Aquila earthquake of 2009 measured 6.3 on the Richter scale. Now, as then, I offer my beloved adopted country this:
Update at 20.57: Seven are now confirmed dead and 3,000 people have been made homeless. Premier Mario Monti has said that a state of emergency will be declared in Italy on Tuesday.
