Ducati shuts factory after earthquakes

The earthquake that claimed 17 lives in Italy this week has forced the temporary closure of several vehicle manufacturing plants in the Emilia Romagna region, including Ducati.

Italian motorcycle maker Ducati recently tweeted: "Ducati today is closed due to the earthquake. People are ok, we are verifying the factory."

Other companies in the region, including Lamborghini, Ferrari and Maserati, have also closed down their manufacturing lines temporarily and sent staff home as a precaution.

Sister site Carsales' European reporter, Michael Taylor who lives in the region said "Marble statues, stone chimneys and building facades crashed down into the streets of the historic city centres in Modena, Mantova, Cento, Carpi, Ferrara and Bologna"

Reaching 5.8 on the Richter scale, the Italian earthquake has left 17 people dead and injured 350, and around 15,000 people are now without a home.

"Six further large shocks, including a 5.4 and a 5.1 also centred just north of Modena, followed throughout the day," added Taylor.

While the Ducati manufacturing plants have not taken damage, nor any of the supercar factories, all of the vehicle makers decided it was prudent to vacate and close their work places.

"The car companies have been alarmed that those killed in the two biggest quakes have, disproportionately, been factory workers, even though the biggest structural damage has been to the region's ancient churches and clock towers."

Two of those killed in yesterday’s earthquake were working in a factory that had been cleared for re-entry only two days earlier.

According to the Carsales report, the populace of the Emilia Romagna region in Italy is suffering "quake fatigue" with more than 600 aftershocks since Sunday May 20, 2012, when the first quake hit.