For the last couple of weeks the mid and north-eastern regions of Italy have suffered a number of serious earthquakes that have cost the lives of many people and has ruined the houses and lives of many others. Today, tuesday 29th May, Italy has suffered yet another 5.8 magnitude quake which has killed an estimated 13 people and damaged historical buildings.

One wonders why does Italy suffer such earthquakes but not Greece or Spain or even Austria, which are geographically very close? These earthquakes have puzzled seismologists because it was caused by two tectonic plates (Eurasian and African) clashing but it occurred at only 5 km below the surface and not much deeper and close to the boundary of the plaque as it usually happens.

The two plaques precisely coincide with the geographic shape of Italy, hence the earthquakes affect Italy and not Greece or Spain.