Amatrice Case Study (HIC earthquake)

• Amatrice, Italy was a HIC earthquake at 24th August 2016.
• Amatrice

  Date = 3:36am, 24th August 2016

  Magnitude = 6

  Epicentre = Amatrice (shallow depth - 5km)

  Tectonic plates = destructive plate boundary (African and Eurasian)
• Amatrice

  • killed = 300
  • injured =400
  • homeless = 5000
• Primary effects (Amatrice)

  • 50% of Amatrice was destroyed
  • almost 300 historic buildings were destroyed (80% of old town destroyed)
  • Many infrastructure was damaged like electricity and water networks leading to interrupted communications, gas leaks and fires.
• Secondary effects (Amatrice)

  • many landslides and rubble blocked roads due to the next 200 aftershocks which reduced access
  • many people were arrested for looting
  • local residents suffered from psychological impacts
  • the town was closed to tourism due to unsafe buildings and infrastructure which decreased its GDP
• Intermediate Responses (Amatrice)

  • rescue workers including the Red Cross, Alpine guides and 5000 soldiers arrived within an hour after the earthquake to provide aid
  • 10,000 homeless people were accommodated in 60 tents as a temporary home
  • 50 million euros immediately funded to Amatrice, and reconstruction began quickly
  • government had cancelled taxes for residents
• Long term responses (Amatrice)

  • better shelters like wooden houses were temporarily provided for residents
  • students were educated in nearby schools as construction began for newer and larger ones
  • taxes have been reduced by the government
• factors contributing to damage (Amatrice)

  • the earthquake struck at 3am, the early morning was a time where most people were sleeping which increases the risk of death
  • during the summer holidays which meant there were more tourists, more people means a higher risk of people dying
  • very little warning as there will no foreshocks so people were not prepared
  • most of the old town in Amatrice were not earthquake proof and were destroyed