Modern buildings in Italy succumb to earthquake

There is nothing new in it and it is known from time immemorial that buildings happen to be most vulnerable to natural disasters like earthquakes. The same event took place in the recent earthquake at the city of L’Aquila in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L’Aquila. It was an earthquake of 6.3 moment magnitude that occurred in the central Italian region of Abruzzo on 6 April 2009, following a series of about a hundred minor tremors since January 2009, including a 4.0-magnitude one on 30 March.

What was the outcome of this devastation? Heavy casualties including death of 280 people and large-scale injuries were reported. However, more than that there were colossal destructions in the city’s prize buildings and their marvelous structures belonging to the mediaeval age or even older. According to experts, it is wrong to term this as colossal destructions as they are irreparable. But this is a part of the story and what is most striking is that newer buildings were also affected. This has resulted into a strong and popular resentment among the citizens since the newer buildings were made adhering to the then existent building codes.

For that reason there are only few takers when Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vows to rebuild the stricken town. As stated by the experts, there is the need of more stringent building codes along with tougher enforcement to ensure compliance.

Take for instance Alessandro Martelli, a professor of antiseismic engineering at the University of Ferrara, who states, “It know it sounds horrible to say this, but geologically speaking, it was not a big earthquake at all.” In accordance with his discretion, the majority of houses in Italy were built without any antiseismic precautions. This is certainly stunning since just about 70 percent of the country’s territory is considered a seismic zone. He adds, “If we were in Japan, a tremor of this magnitude probably wouldn’t even have made it to the front page.”

Is he right or wrong? Well, supporters of identical views are increasing in Italy.