Several automakers have suspended production at their factories after a massive earthquake rocked northern Italy, according to Motor Authority. Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari all shut down their factories and sent workers home after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the region.
According to The Guardian, the Emilia-Romagna region near the city of Bologna has been suffering seismic events for nearly a year now, due to the shifting of a mountain range in the northern half of Italy. The 5.8 earthquake could potentially trigger up to 800 aftershocks, according to experts in the region, which may include a few that measure above 5.0 on the Richter scale.
Due to the earthquake, the Italian automakers in the region closed the factories and sent workers home to check on their families. Ferrari and Lamborghini have not revealed whether or not their facilities sustained any damage due to the event, but Maserati revealed their plant was affected by the quake. The extent of the damage is unknown, and whether or not the factories will resume normal production remains to be seen.
The incident calls to mind the Japanese earthquakes that caused trouble for Honda, Toyota and Nissan last year, as well as United States customers waiting for parts from these countries. Many auto repair franchises were short on parts for these vehicles as shipping and production was delayed by the disaster.