Pica

Hi Folks,
It's rubbish here.Have you seen the news?

Patty

Hi Pica - hope you and your family are holding up down there. Its sounds absolutely horrendous. Have you a lot of snow where you live and have you felt the constant tremors ? Must be awful

Geordieborn

Horrendous events unfolding at the hotel hit by the avalanche there, really sad to think we sat in the very same only a few months ago talking to the lovely staff. Do hope they have some luck finding people still alive in the next day or so. Knowing the roads up to it I’m not surprised they have had difficulty reaching the place.

The weather is most odd because there seems to be so many problems inland, but on the coast all seems to be so much better. No snow on the coastal roads at all, but this is a couple of pictures of a friends house just a little further inland. The early morning dark picture was Monday, other is today... does not look too good there at all! Take care all there and the regions around it.

philat98

This is an interesting explanation of the geology of the Apennines around Amatrice. Cascading earthquakes: why central Italy is being shaken by so much seismic activity - The Local
A quake in this zone in1703 killed 10000 people!

Patty

Blimey Geordie - that is a lot of snow. Its just a dreadful situation. Am watching the news now about the hotel - its so very sad.
We're up here near Turin going towards Sestriere, and we've only had a small sprinkling of snow so far. Its all topsy turvy the weather this year.

Pica

we felt 5 yesterday, makes you feel twitchy and hyperalert to any loud noises etc.
We don't envision getting out for a few days yet but tonight we had a grand miracle. Just as we're running out of fuel for the generator ( no power since Monday) a superhero from the Protezione Civile arrives on an amazing vehicle driving through nearly 2 metres of snow to give us 30 litres of benzina.

Pica

From our house we can see the road up to Farindola that we use regularly to get up to Campo Imperatore. There are successions of blue & orange lights going back and forth. Such needless tragedy.

Geordieborn

That's far out in the sticks Pica, use that benzina carefully. Do hope it eases for you soon.

Geordieborn

Great, but quite frightening reading!

GeorgeYoung

It really is awful in Abruzzo and yet here in the Dolomites we're in a drought for the second year running. Had something like 10mm of snow, all on one night, which is the only precipitation that has fallen since mid-November. Nowt forecast for the rest of the month, reservoirs & rivers already getting very low.

Pica

I was mistaken, it was the soccorso Alpini on a snowcat.
Geordie- yes we are using it very wisely, an hour in the morning & 3 at night, then candles & wood burner.
Barns are collapsing under the weight of snow, animals dying. Neighbour spent most of today rescuing a horse & pig from collapsed barn, 2 sheep were killed. I think this event has broken his spirit. Tales of sadness from all around. Helicopters all day long, air ambulance, police, military.
can't see us getting our car out for a week yet & god knows when power's coming back! our lines are down and currently no access. But at least we weren't in that hotel. Animals & barns can be replaced and eventually things will return to normal but friends, family are irreplacable.

Caprihana

Hats off to you Pica. It's hard to keep your chin up when all this is happening but your attitude will pull you through. All the best for you, your family and all those around you.

Lorna at Vicenza

Goodness me Pica, it all sound like it's very tough there and a terrible struggle for so many people. I hope the situation improves soon.
It's hard to believe that even though I live at the bottom of the mountains it has only snowed once, not a lot, and it all melted soon apart from the frozen bits piled up at the side of the roads. No snow on the mountains and mostly very sunny days.
Sorry there isn't anything we can do to help. Thank goodness for your soccorso Alpino.

Keep writing so that we know you're ok.

Geordieborn

We looked at a house in between Roccafinadamo and San Nicole and boy are we glad we decided against it. Beautiful, beautiful area, but so isolated and with fragile access in bad weather. Sounds like Pica is a lot further out. Even where we are now we’ve considered a generator and bought in lots of small things like head torches etc. and have large stocks of wood, gas and sansa (wine and food go without saying). But these are seriously bad events going on there, like I've said I do hope things get better soon.

clint

there was a news item on la7 about an English couple who have been snowed in in Pescia they have now been moved to Norcia by the rescue services