As rescuers desperately dig for survivors in the aftermath of Italy’s worst earthquake in 30 years, a scientist who warned of the 6.3 quake was jailed for spreading "panic".
A month prior to the quake, seismologist Gioacchino Giuliani had predicted a large quake, infuriating the mayor of L’Aquila after Giuliani rode around the town in a van with loudspeaker imploring locals to evacuate the ancient city.
The "prophet of doom", a respected scientist, who based his findings on a build up of radon gas at seismic hot spots, after the tremors were first felt, was reported to police.
He was then ordered to remove his findings from the internet by authorities after predicting a major quake was imminent.
Italy’s Civil Protection agency convened a meeting of the Major Risks Committee in L’Aquila on March 31 to reassure the terror-stricken populace.
"The tremors being felt by the population are part of a typical sequence … absolutely normal in a seismic area like the one around L’Aquila," the agency told the worried populace of the picturesque, medieval town.
The magnitude-6.3 quake struck the city and surrounding villages Monday, leveling whole city blocks and reducing the city to dust and rubble.
To date, 15 have been reported dead and 1500 injured.
