3-021-561 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The landslip at Naples: scene of the disaster, 1868. Engraving from a photograph by M. Bermond, showing '...the entire elevation of the mountain, with the debris which now obstructs the road and cuts off all communication between the eastern and western portions of the city...Pizzofalcone...rises to a height of 270 ft...This enormous mass of earth and building hangs over the street below...On Tuesday night a vast portion of the mountain was detached from it, and, together with the heavy mason-work, fell on the houses lying beneath...It is not yet known how many persons lie beneath the ruined houses...Signor Zampari, an engineer in the Royal Corps of Miners, is trying to bore a tunnel from Santa Lucia to the cellars of the wine-shop...It is a work of great danger. The wine-shop was usually much frequented by soldiers and sailors at the hour when the disaster occurred, and it is believed that many were there on that night...In all probability both rain and volcanic action are the causes of the calamity. For nearly three months Naples has been rocking with earthquakes...if any persons were there they must have all perished...there is little expectation of saving anyone...There are at least twenty persons missing'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868.