Travellers heading into Rome today may notice a distinct lack of Romans going about their business in the city.
The cautious Italians are taking heed of a prediction made back in the 1970s by a seismologist that said there would be a “huge earthquake” on May 11.
Many have taken the day off work to flee the city just in case, despite repeated attempts by the Italian government on TV to calm its citizens.
Raffaele Bendandi, who died in 1979, warned of the seismic event and his words have been treated with reverence. Reuters reports an 18% increase in the number of people who plan to stay away from work today.
by Dinah Hatch
