Messina Earthquake Medal 1908
£145.00Unnamed as issued
Condition as shown in photographs
The 1908 Messina earthquake (also known as the 1908 Messina and Reggio earthquake) and tsunami took about 123,000 lives on December 28, 1908, in Sicily and Calabria, southern Italy. The major cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were almost completely destroyed.
On December 28, 1908 from about 05:20 to 05:21 an earthquake of 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale occurred centered on the of city Messina, in Sicily. Reggio on the Italian mainland also suffered heavy damage. The ground shook for some 30 to 40 seconds, and the destruction was felt within a 300-kilometer (186-mile) radius. Moments after the earthquake, a 12-meter (39-foot) tsunami struck nearby coasts, causing even more devastation; 91% of structures in Messina were destroyed and some 70,000 residents were killed.
Rescuers searched through the rubble for weeks, and whole families were still being pulled out alive days later, but thousands remained buried there. Buildings in the area had not been constructed for earthquake resistance, having heavy roofs and vulnerable foundations.
The obverse of this medal bears the bust of King Victor Emanuel III with the inscription; 'VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D'ITALIA'. He awarded this medal to Royal Naval, Royal Marine and Mercantile Marine crew members who were engaged in relief operations in the aftermath of the Earthquake.
