San Giuliano di Puglia earthquake tragedy marks 24 years

On October 31, 2002, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Molise region of Italy, causing devastating destruction in San Giuliano di Puglia. The seismic event led to the near-total collapse of the Francesco Jovine elementary school while students and teachers were inside.

Rescue operations involving firefighters, law enforcement, and volunteers lasted approximately 30 hours. While one child was rescued alive on November 1, the disaster resulted in the deaths of 27 children and a teacher, Carmela Ciniglio. Including two additional deaths from residential collapses, the earthquake caused 30 fatalities and approximately 100 injuries.