Earthquake, Abruzzo, Italy – Update
Tremors are continuing to shake the area around the city of L’Aqulia in the earthquake stricken region of Abruzzo in central Italy.
Around two to four low intensity tremors have been shaking the area each day since the 5.8 Richter scale magnitude quake cost lives and destroyed many buildings in the zone in the early hours of Monday 6th April.
This is a summary of some of the news taken from a section of the La Repubblica web site on the disaster.
Tremors Continuing
Reports of further tremors rocking the area around L’Aquila are coming through several times a day. Last night there were two further aftershocks one of 4.2 , another of 3.7 in the L’Aqulia area.
In addition, there have been tremors between Forlì, Cesena and Ravenna which are over 300 kilometres from L’Aqulia, and quite close to Bologna. Another tremor shook an area known as the Crotonese, near Crotone in Calabria. Although reports of the other tremors were included in news concerning the l’Aqulia area, it is not clear whether the episodes are connected. Indeed, it is unlikely, even if some reports have been stating that the Abruzzo tremors appears to be moving northwards. Seismic events are not uncommon in Italy.
This map shows where Forlì is. Zoom out to understand where Forlì is in Italy:
So far, no suggestions that the Monday earthquake was the precursor to something stronger are being made. However, the authorities are keeping residents out of the affected towns and villages in the L’Aquila area, claiming that damaged buildings are still in danger of collapsing.
As you will read below, the residents of the town of Avezzano do not appear to be entirely convinced that the worst is over.
Avezzano
Many residents of this town, which is around 36 kilometres from the city of L’Aquila, decided to abandon their houses last night and spend the night in the open, amid fears spread around the town that a new earthquake may strike.
This is where Avezzano is in Italy:
Berlusconi
Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has suggested that displaced residents of the area might like to take a holiday at the seaside, seeing as the Italian State would foot the bill. Some have considered this comment insensitive, although in his inimitable fashion, Berlusconi was probably simply trying to say ‘Try to relax. We’ll sort things out for you’.
Hoteliers along the Abruzzo coastline have been offering accommodation to those left homeless by the earthquake, and it is apparently true that Italy’s tax payers will fund the cost. Over 800 hotels in the areas are offering over 13300 beds – press release on the Civil Protection site: Abruzzo: 836 gli alberghi per le persone sfollate where there is also a list of the hotels in Excel format which can be downloaded.
Around 10,000 people are have taken up offers to be put up in hotels so far. According to information on the Italian Civil Protection site, people are staying in Teramo, Pescara
Chieti.
After initially rejecting offers of foreign aid, Berlusconi has now agreed to accept it.
In another statement, Berlusconi stated that each Italian region would be assigned a project for the reconstruction of areas affected by the earthquake. This, aside from being an organisational nightmare, will put quite a strain on many of Italy’s regions which are already strapped for cash.
FIAT
Italian car manufacturer FIAT is to donate €40 from the sale of any car or commercial vehicle sold in April to the Abruzzo earthquake relief effort, and the money will be used to re-build a nursery school in L’Aquila.
On the subject of donations, singer Madonnais also to make a contribution to the earthquake relief effort. She is of Italian descent, indeed, her father was a first generation Italian American from Pacentro, in Abruzzo.
Investigations Beginning
The collapse of the emergency department of a hospital in L’Aqulia has raised eyebrows. The emergency department opened in 2000, and should have been built in accordance with regulations designed to ensure that new buildings are earthquake proof. Indeed, genuinely earthquake proof buildings in the area have survived the incident.
Rome
A 76 year old pensioner died of a heart attack in Rome, as a result of tremors felt in Italy’s capital at around 7:45 last night.
The disaster has led to a noticeable increase in the number of heart attacks in the area struck by the April 6th earthquake.
More information, for readers of Italian, is available here: La Repubblica.it
Thank you for your continuing effort to give us information. It is truly appreciated. My husbands family lives in Pratola Peligna. I am sure they have been feeling the tremors. I have tried to contact them through email but have not heard back from them yet.
Lori,
Good to hear the info I’m providing is proving useful. I hoped it would be.
I did try calling various number in L’Aqulia today – but did not get through. If you are in Italy, then try the number I published today, which you will find here: http://www.blogfromitaly.com/list-of-the-deceased-abruzzo-earthquake-italy/
I got through, and am waiting for someone to get back to me.
Best,
Alex
Thanks for the update. I was in touch by phone yesterday with relatives in Abruzzo, who told me of the strong aftershocks and how they are sleeping (when they can) fully clothed. My friends and I are trying to decide the best way to get help to them. We want to make sure the funds get directly to the people. What in your opinion is the best way?
Hi ciaochowlinda,
Glad the update was useful. And good to hear that you finally got through to your friends. I imagine some people are having problems charging mobile phones – that is if they got them out of their houses.
It does sound as though people are still very much on tenterhooks down in Abruzzo.
As for getting money to people directly, I understand that there are mobile post offices in the tent camps. Maybe you could wire a money order to the post office nearest to where your friends are. Or, if your friends can get to email, then you might like to consider Western Union – there must be a pick up point nearby – I’m sure they could ask for a lift if they are without transport.
Not sure how the post office thing would work, but Western Union should not be a problem.
Hope that helps,
Alex
ciaochowlinda – to find out if the post office money order is possible – ask in your local post office.
Alex
Just hoping someone might be able to give me some up to date information about the town of Barisciano and how it faired from the earthquake. Thanks
Mary – I’m going to see what I can discover now.
Will report back shortly.
Alex
Mary,
I’ve had a hunt and found out that Barisciano was affected by the earthquake. It is quite close to L’Aqulia.
There is a photograph of a damaged house in what appears to be Barisciano here:
http://www.regione.piemonte.it/protezionecivile/rsgallery2/3081.html
Other news which indicates that the damage was extensive is that the Italian region of Piedmont has ‘adopted’ Barisciano, and has set up a tent camp next to the village. More photos are available via this link: http://www.regione.piemonte.it/protezionecivile/index.php?option=com_rsgallery2&Itemid=241&catid=15
And the info about the ‘adoption’ comes from this, which is in Italian: http://torino.blogosfere.it/2009/04/terremoto-in-abruzzo-il-piemonte-adotta-barisciano.html
Hope that helps,
Kind regards,
Alex
Thank you so much. I finally did hear from my cousin and no one was hurt but they are living in tents.
Mary
You are welcome, Mary.
Great to hear that the people you know are safe and sound. Good news indeed!
Kind regards,
Alex
Hi Mary,
If you want to visit our site,feel free to go to it and see the damage it has done in Barisciano.
Most of the damage was in the Tricaglio area(near the Cemetery).
Our Website is http://bariscianotti.com/ (link went to a site for a company called TELENIA??!! – I’ve corrected the link – Alex – Blog from Italy)
Put out from the Bariscianotti Club of Michigan
Thanks Cory – there was a slight problem with the link – which I have corrected.
Best,
Alex
It’s difficult if you don’t speak and read Italian to find out much about small town Italy. Foreign press doesn’t report much of that. Some of the early foreign coverage on this earthquake made it sound like it was most important in how it affected the Baths of Caracalla in Rome!
That second map didn’t help me much, Alex. The only place I recognized was Cappadocia, but the one I know from Roman history was near Turkey.
Hi Judith,
Thought you were going camping!
And yes, I agree, if you don’t speak or read Italian, finding out information is not easy. Which is were people like us come in. Coupling our language skills with the communicative ability of the www, we can help, if only in a small way.
By focusing on the earthquake this week, and gleaning info from sources in Italian, I hope people’s minds are being put at rest.
As for the maps, they are really only there to help people understand whereabouts in Italy this thing happened. Zooming out of the map helps people know where L’Aquila is in relation to more well known places in Italy.
Best,
Alex
Alex may I add this info for folks in the Greater Toronto Area that would like to help:
O.S.J. Charities Trust Fund for L’Aquila
Abruzzo Italy – Earthquake
Account Number: 09012 69-21310
At: CIBC 7765 Yonge Street, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2C4
Certainly Joanne!
If a few more people, I know, add similar info, I’ll create a post about these funds.
I say ‘people I know’ because there have been a few attempts to create ‘funds’ which have turned out to be nothing more than scams.
Have a nice weekend, and Happy Easter!
Best,
Alex
Thanks for posting info on this website –
Just hoping someone might be able to tell me if Tornimparte was affected by the recent earthquake.
I have sent an email to our friends who live here but have not heard anything as yet
Any info will be greatly appreciated
Hello Doris,
Glad the information is proving useful.
I’ve had a look for info on Tonrimparte, which is very close to L’Aquila, but it seems to have remained undamaged. Indeed, in the local news website Il Centro, there was an article on the 6 April with, part of the headline, which says: Tornimparte, illeso dopo il sisma – translated, this means that Tornimparte was untouched by the quake. Here is the article: http://ilcentro.gelocal.it/dettaglio/tornimparte-illeso-dopo-il-sisma-muore-mentre-va-dalla-madre/1614459
The poor chap who died who is mentioned in the rest of the article was on his way to check on his mum after the quake, but lost control of his car and died when it turned over.
Thus it looks as though Tornimparte is OK, but if anyone knows different, I’m quite prepared to be corrected.
All the best,
Alex
Thanks Alex so much for your information
It really put my mind at ease – it can be somewhat difficult to get news about the smaller regional areas of Italy here in Australia……
Alls well that ends well though as my friends in Tornimparte e-mail me last night to let me know that they are all fine…….good news for me at least!!!!!
thanks again and take care
Doris
Hi Doris,
Lovely to hear that your friends in Tornimparte emailed you! Must have been a great relief. – as you say – great news!
Glad to have been of assistance.
Kind regards,
Alex
Hello!
My husband and I are leaving for Italy on Tuesday. We have rented an apartment in Pratola Peligna for 3 weeks, but are a bit concerned that we have not been able to find out any information about how the earthquake has impacted this area. Do you happen to know, or know how we might find out?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Warm regards,
Jen
Hello Jen,
I’ve done a little research into Pratola Peligna, and found this article about Pratola, which talks about minor, though not structural damage to some buildings in this village, according to the mayor. The article, dated 9th April, in Italian, is here: http://www.rete5.tv/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=2&task=view&id=14612
The Easter procession was also cancelled in Pratola Peligna on account of worries that buildings were unsafe.
I would suggest you keep trying to contact the apartment owners to see if the apartment is OK. As I understand it, telephone lines and email are starting to come back to life. You might also like to check which roads are passable in the area, and which are not. I’ll have a look and see if I can find info on this.
Let me know if you need more.
Best regards,
Alex
hi
since the big disaster that hit italy and according to the news
i like to know if we can help in the renovation of abruzzo
i am an architect i work in the renovation of old houses
please answer me
Hi Katia,
Can you tell us a little more about you? Where are you from? Website? Have you worked on any projects in Italy before?
Cheers,
Alex
I had live in the area for two years and felt a light tremor just a week before all hll broke loose. I want to get orgnaized here in LOndon, Ontario to be able to link myself with an organization that would allow me to be able to work in the support of persons in ‘Abruzzo, here in Canada that are in need of moral support and so many skills that I could share. I was a contactor here in London for ten years, I have entertained with my guitar and feel that I am a facilitor to encopurage otheres to participate in music and converstion. In these depressing times both here and in Italy I feel I need to do this as a regulor job. I don’t knwo though how soon I coudl be back in Italy unless I am hired or taken on as a volunteer with an organization.
Ciao,
Rocco
PS any ideas replied here or to my e-mail would be appreciated.
Any way to find out if the town of Caporciano was damaged by the quake. We are trying to get information from the town, but … nothing!
Hi Vincent,
I’ve had a hunt around the Italian web and there seems to be some indication that it was affected by the quake, but it does not look as though it was too badly hit according to some photos I found.
I’ll have a go at calling the Caporciano council tomorrow and see what the situation is like there.
I’ll post what I find out in a comment here.
Best regards,
Alex
Millions of thanx! My wife and I hope to retire soon to Italy, and maybe if more people move there, like we plan to, it will help their economy. We love the area and my heritage is there. Thank you for any help you can offer. I appreciate it greatly!
On the subject of retiring in Italy, I felt the earth quake around March 15th in Pratola and it was only 5 seconds. It is difficult for me at this time after the earthquake to think of living in this area. The home would have to be one with proof that it was built or retrofitted with earthquake standards. I can only imagine how much weaker the home is after the mayor quake in l’Aquila which shifted the columns in the church up the street by 30 cms and is now closed. I could move back to the house but I would want to have a an architect and builder work with me to reinforce the house. But what would this do if the apartment buildng beside our house is three stories higher and could fall on our house. I am loss with thinkng that there could be a future for myself to settle down marry and have children when the weakened house could fall on my future family. On the other hand the question is, how likley is another earthquake. Could it be so improbable that a person coudl raise a family and knwo that the weakened property will not be pushed over by the next quake? As much as I could liek answers to these questions I know that the lose of life and all victims of the earthquake have the real challenges in healing and rebuilding. Strength courage and hope to all the victims. How they can live in trust in the mercy of the ongoing tremors I wish I could imagine how they can find this trust. To mention other gifts of life…..May they find love and joy and use there imaginations to faith and hope. I say this while in Calgary Canada, and as you know pondering that I could not think of my hiome in Itlay as a future becuase of the excessive amount of money it would cost to retrofit the home to resist earthquakes if it is even possible. Please tell me if you think I am contradictory in wishing the victims the gifts of life I mentione above.
Take care, Rocco D’Alessandro
Hi Rocco,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. I agree that living in an earthquake zone must be traumatic. It’s something I would think hard about, and even if I did decide to take the plunge, I would look for a modern house which has been certified as quake proof, and even then, I think it would be wise to commission an additional report to ensure that the certification is accurate. In Italy corners are often cut.
Alternatively, you could just bite the bullet and hope that nothing more will happen for a long time, although this may well be a head in the sand approach.
It would be interesting to hear what others think about this. I’ve never lived in an area prone to quakes, so I don’t really know – but many people manage to, so they must have some way of keeping themselves going.
Best regards,
Alex
Katia,
Hello how are you” As an architict Iwould liek to tell you that the home has a terrazzo that has two unfinished rooms with one corse of brink on exterior walls. It would be necessary to have a streel reinforing to hold all walls together. I have seen in other otlder buildings huge steel rods that go from one end of the house to the other it is tensioned and and achored with a steel stake on the wall to keep it tense. In addition to his rode there in my idea would have to be rebare and steel grid mesh attached to the bricks and concrete columns to keep it all together in case of a larger quake. Also there is the problem that the larger apartmnet building besie our home is a fe stories taller than ours and if there was a quake wouldn’t it be the problem with perhaps falling on ours.
Thanks in advance for you opinion.
Rocco
I am still trying to find out whether the residents of L’Aquilla have returned to their homes, and how many (and which) surrounding villages have suffered the same problem (forrced to stay out of their homes)? Can anyone help me??
Hi Vincent,
In answer to your first question, not all of the residents of L’Aquila have returned to their homes. Slowly but surely the authorities have been inspecting buildings in the area and declaring them habitable or otherwise.
Some people will have returned, but I don’t know how many. I tried calling L’Aquila council, but got no reply. While things are coming along, there is still quite a bit of chaos down there and I’ve heard reports that people will start moving out of the tent towns into more permanent accommodation from September on.
I suspect the situation is the same for the surrounding villages. To confirm this, I’ve had a go at calling a few numbers, but have not got hold of anyone just yet. When I manage to find someone who has the info, I’ll post another comment here.
In the meantime, you could have a look at this document which is a list of all the buildings inspected up to the 24 July 2009 – look at the far right hand column which names the zones in which the inspections took place – names of villages hit by the quake, such as Onna, are given. And look at the column over on the right entitled ‘fraz’ which stands for ‘frazione’ for the names of smaller villages: http://www.comune.laquila.it/documenti/terremoto/20090724_totale.pdf
It’s a long list at 663 pages, and at about 30 properties per page, the total is around 20,000 buildings inspected. This gives an idea of the scale of the problem.
It appears to be a comprehensive list, and was produced by l’Aqulia council, so it should be accurate too.
Best regards,
Alex
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