The 2009 L’Aquila earthquake struck in the early morning at 0332 local time (0130 GMT) in the region of Abruzzo, in central Italy on 6 April 2009. The earthquake occurred because of normal faulting on a NW-SE oriented structure in the central Apennines and the east-west extensional tectonics that dominate along the Apennines belt, which was a primary response to the Tyrrhenian ocean opening faster than the Eurasian plate is colliding with the African plate.
The 6.3-magnitude quake could be felt throughout central Italy. The earthquake left 308 dead, more than 1,500 injured and above 65,000 homeless. 26 cities and towns had been damaged altogether. In L'Aquila, about 3,000 to 10,000 buildings had been damaged.
As this happened in the early hours of the day, many survivors were seen in their night clothes when they were rescued. Hundreds of the injured waited at the city's main hospital, where doctors were treating people in the open air due to only one operating room functioning. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was in the city that day, declared a state of emergency and said that a field hospital was set up to aid medical services.
Out of all the people who were left homeless, around 40,000 people found accomodation in tented camps, and another 10,000 were housed in hotels on the coast. The remaining sought shelter with friends and relatives living throughout Italy.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said that reconstructing Abruzzo will cost about 12 billion euros. The government had also promised monthly payments to residents who lost their livelihoods.
The buildings in the region should have been built of a higher quality so that they are stable enough and not easily damaged. The government should also prepare and educate residents how to deal with emergencies so as to minimise chaos and the number of victims.
As this happened in the early hours of the day, many survivors were seen in their night clothes when they were rescued. Hundreds of the injured waited at the city's main hospital, where doctors were treating people in the open air due to only one operating room functioning. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was in the city that day, declared a state of emergency and said that a field hospital was set up to aid medical services.
Out of all the people who were left homeless, around 40,000 people found accomodation in tented camps, and another 10,000 were housed in hotels on the coast. The remaining sought shelter with friends and relatives living throughout Italy.
Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said that reconstructing Abruzzo will cost about 12 billion euros. The government had also promised monthly payments to residents who lost their livelihoods.
The buildings in the region should have been built of a higher quality so that they are stable enough and not easily damaged. The government should also prepare and educate residents how to deal with emergencies so as to minimise chaos and the number of victims.
Bibliography
The Straits Times, http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Breaking+News/World/Story/STIStory_364001.html, extracted 24-02-2010
U.S. Geological Survey, http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2009/us2009fcaf/#details, extracted 24-02-2010
The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/04/the_laquila_earthquake.html, extracted 24-02-2010
NYTimes, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/world/europe/07italy.html?_r=1, extracted 24-02-2010
NYTimes, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/world/europe/07italy.html?_r=1, extracted 24-02-2010
Done by: Gwee Ruo-Ann of Secondary 1 Diligence
