In January 2011, leaflets falsely claiming to come from the Protezione Civile, were distributed in the "comune" of Ciampino, stating that Bendandi had forecast an earthquake on 11 May 2011, and that residents should leave their homes before that day. Rumours continued to spread in particular through social networking sites, and specified that the earthquake would affect Rome. In May 2011 it was reported that people were fleeing Rome in readiness for an earthquake predicted to occur on 11 May. The existence of a prediction for that date was denied by the custodians of Bendandi's papers, while the Italian National Institute of Geology and Vulcanology (INGV) held an open day at its Rome office on the day. There was no earthquake in Rome that day. Nevertheless, some media reports drew attention to the fact that, on the same day, an earthquake hit the town of Lorca in Spain some away. The INGV stated: "There is absolutely no link between Spain and Italy, geologically, or with the prediction of an earthquake in Rome."