L'aquila Case Study

When was it? -3.32 am (local time) 6th of April 200

L’Aquila

Earthquake

Plate Margin: Destructive plate margin. Eurasian and African Plates. African plate is subducted below the continental eurasian plate.

Richter Scale: 6.3

L’aquila: Central Italian city. 70,000 population. North-south fault line.

Depth: 5 miles. /8 km. Shallow focus-(under 70 km)

Economic Impacts: Cost Italy $15 billion. Thousands of buildings destroyed. (including old tourist attraction such as L'aquila cathedral.) A bridge in Fossa collapsed.Broken Water pipe outside Paganica. Fires spread in destroyed/ damaged buildings.

Environmental Impacts: 1000km2 affected by surface ruptures, rockfalls and landslides. Wildlife habitats affected, loss of biodiversity in some areas.

Social Impacts: 300 deaths. (mainly from collapsing buildings). 1500 injured. 70,000 people made homeless. After shocks (reaching 5 on RS) hampered rescue efforts and lead to more deaths. People had to leave the area (young people for work) to find jobs, etc

Responses: Camps were set up for homeless people. Rescue attempt was well organised between the Army, Fire service and ambulances. Cranes and diggers used to remove rubble. International teams helped with rescue effort. Government provided money to pay rent. Mortgages, Gas and electricity bills were suspended. PM Silvio Berlusconi promised to build a new town. 4,500 new buildings housing 12,000 people had been built by late 2009.

Management: Didn't have much effect. Despite strict planning regulations, most new building weren't of suitable quality to withstand earthquakes. (San Salvatore hospital, 2000). Seismologists