The earthquake of 1857 in Basilicata

The recent history of Lucania is characterized by a catastrophic event, which caused serious damages to the landscape: the earthquake that devastated vast areas of Campania and Basilicata causing several thousands of victims.

Among the places must affected there was the nearby Montemurro, which was completely burned to the ground, with more than 3.000 deaths, on a total population of about 7.500 people. In many other cities of the area were burned to the ground all the monumental evidences of the past: in Sarconi, for instance, the ancient castle was completely destroyed.

According to the official data published in a relation by Home Office, just in Basilicata died 9.257 people, on a total of about 11.000 victims.

The earthquake, with the epicenter in Montemurro and an intensity now estimated at the ninth grade of Mercalli scale, it was felt as far as Terracina and kicked up with two intense shakes very close each other, at 22.15.

At that time it was considered as the third biggest and most harmful earthquake historically documented in Europe (the first in Italy), and after the first news received in England, it was decided to send a scientific expedition by the Royal Society of London, in order to study the effects of the earthquake and improve the state of knowledge about seismology. The expedition was led by Irish engineer Robert Mallet, who also was a seismologist.

About this heavy disaster and the sad destiny that affected Montemurro and the other cities, even the English novelist Charles Dickens took care (Household Words, appeared in the periodical of Montemurro "Behind the Walls").

Content taken from the heading Earthquake of 1857 in Basilicata from Wikipedia.