L’Aquila Italy, Sicily 2009 Flashcards
Time/ Duration
6th April 2009 3:32 Am
Scale/Magnitude:
6.3
Location: (3)
. L’Aquila,city, capital of Abruzzi region,central Italy.
. Situated on a hill above the the Aterno river, northeast of Rome
Tectonic location:
. African and Eurasian plate, convergent destructive, collision boundary
Physical causes:
. earthquake caused Normal faulting on the northwest, southeast Paginica fault. This resulted into neighbouring faults to be active and therefore opening up the Tyrrhenian basin.
. two main cracks (fault lines) cut across the Italian peninsula, one running north-south along the Spine of the Apennine Mountains and another running east- west, south of Rome and North of Naples
Human causes
In October 2012, six seismologists and one government official were found guilty of manslaughter as they falsely reassured there would be no earthquake.They each received six years in prison and were ordered to pay several million euros in damages( in 2014, the Italian courts overturned the verdict for the six scientists.
Economic impacts (1)-(2)
Short term
. L’Aquila’s largest Renaissance church was seriously damaged and it’s Campanile collapsed
Long term
. Some ‘red zones’ still exists which has reduced the amount of business tourism and income
. The earthquake cost Italy $15 billion.
Social impacts (4) -(1)
Short term
. 308 deaths
. 1,500 injured
L’Aquila medieval buildings were severely damaged, resulting in most inhabitants abandoning their homes and the city
. The earthquake proof new wing of L’Aquila Hospital experienced extensive damage and was closed
Long term
. Aftershocks triggering landslides and rockfalls, causing damage to housing and transport
Environmental hazards (1)-(1)
Short term
. Approximately 1000 square kilometres was affected by surface ruptured, rocks falls and landslides.
Long term
. A landslide and mudflow were caused by a burst main water supply pipeline near the town of Paganio
