Striking southern Italy on September 8, the 1905 Calabria earthquake killed between 557 and 5,000 people and damaged at least 14,000 houses in the epicentral area alone. The first major earthquake of the 20th century, it damaged parts of Lipari Island

Lipari

Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily, and the name of the island's main town. It has a permanent population of 11,231; during the May–September tourist season, its population may reach up to 20,000....

 and Messina Province.

Geography

With a magnitude between 6.7–6.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake was centered on Calabria

Calabria

Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....

.

Damage and casualties

The earthquake affected the Calabria

Calabria

Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....

 region, destroying as many as 25 villages and killing over 5,000. Alternatively, United States Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

lists the fatality count at 557 people,