Italian cops close quack quake Web site

PESCARA, Italy, April 8 (UPI) -- A fake science Web site that issued a prediction there would be another strong earthquake in Italy was shut down by Italian police Wednesday, authorities said.

Police said the bogus forecast alarmed thousands of people who called police in the Abruzzo and Lazio regions that were devastated by a major quake Monday and repeatedly rattled by aftershocks since then, ANSA reported.

The Internet site's creators will face criminal charges, they told the Italian news agency.

Monday's quake in the Abruzzo capital of L'Aquila killed at least 260 people, injured thousands and turned much of the area into rubble.