Dharamsala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his sadness for the lives lost and the other damage caused by the earthquake in Bologna Italy in a letter to the prime Minister of Italy, Mario Monti. He also offered condolences and prayers to the families of the deceased.
On 20th of May, a 6.0-magnitude quake in Italy had killed seven people and toppled centuries old buildings also caused enormous damage to the region's world-renown cheese production. The earthquake struck at 4:04 am on Sunday, about 35 km north to the city of Bologna. Four of the seven dead were workers on an overnight shift who were buried in rubble. The other three victims - including a German tourist and an Italian centenarian - died of heart attacks or other health conditions brought on by fear.
The Washington Post reported that the total agriculture losses, including lost cheese, felled livestock and damaged machinery in an area spanning Bologna, Modena and Mantova in the agriculturally rich Po River Valley, are estimated at €200 million ($254 million).
The quake was the worst to hit the country since L'Aquila tremor killed nearly 300 people in central Italy in 2009.
As a token of sympathy and concern, a donation is being made to support the relief work. The Dalai Lama had been passed through Italy by halting at Udine where he participated in an inter faith program, a meeting with scientists and he also delivered a public talk.
