We woke up in Ireland to worried text messages from family in the U.S.
Early mornings always come with a sense of the imagined, and the inability to comprehend the world around you for the first few moments. But as I quickly scanned through the shocking photos of Amatrice and other affected hamlets, I realized the tragedy was very very real.
It is towns like Amatrice that have made me fall in love with Italy. It is what Beppe Severgnini so aptly described as Italy’s Fragile Beauty.
As of this morning, 247 people are confirmed dead after the 6.2 quake. Many more are still missing. There are no buildings left in Amatrice that are fit for habitation.
Civil Protection, the organization coordinating the response to the earthquakes, has activated an emergency number: 800-840.840 as well as a number for their Operative Centre: 803-555. As of 26 August, authorities are asking that you avoid driving on the Via Salaria.
I will update this post as more information is available, and as long term relief efforts are defined.
- Donate to the Italian Red Cross. Relief efforts are still ongoing. The IBAN to donate directly is here in the official Red Cross communication:
- To donate €2 to the Civil Protection Service, send a SMS to 45500 (from Italy only).
- More than 400 people have been injured, and blood donations are needed. You can donate blood at the centers nearest to you. A list is here. To be eligible to donate, donors must be in good health, between the ages of 18-65, weigh over 50kg, not engaged in high risk behaviour, not HIV positive or a hepatitis B or C carrier or anabolic steroid or hormone user.
- To make a donation of goods in person (non-perishable food and personal hygiene products) the collections points in Rome are:
Updated on 26 August. Please comment if you have additional information to be added.
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