Topic > The L'Aquila earthquake crisis in the Abruzzo region, Italy: strengths and weaknesses of emergency management

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake occurred in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The mainshock occurred at 3:32 am on April 6, 2009. The earthquake caused mass destruction, death, and loss of homes. It measured 5.9 on the Richter scale and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Eagle's management had its strengths and weaknesses. Earthquakes are very difficult to predict as there is no single method to pinpoint the exact time of where it will strike. Although in the case of the Eagle there were some signals that were not interpreted correctly, when a much more effective response could and should have been given to them. The failure of a team of 6 scientists who told the region that the earthquake was nothing to worry about and that there was no need to evacuate, were charged with manslaughter and convicted. They were sent to prison for several years. Before the earthquake there were many pre-shocks, low magnitude earthquakes that occur with high frequency. There were so many pre-earthquakes that the locals were already suspicious and scared. No one in power heeded these warnings. Giampaolo Giuliani was a self-proclaimed scientist who predicted the location and magnitude of the earthquake. He used strange techniques with no method, so only a handful of people believed him. He posted his findings online, warning locals, though authorities simply dismissed his prediction. If these warnings had been better interpreted and acted upon, people might have evacuated or prepared. Many lives could have been saved, but instead were lost. Tens of thousands of people lost their homes due to the earthquake, in fact the center of L'Aquila still remains closed off while reconstruction continues. Many modern buildings collapsed during the earthquake, even though these new constructions should have survived easily. This was due to poor construction and was against the law. It was cheaper to pay less qualified builders than to outsource the work to professionals. Of course, less skilled builders are not safe, as demonstrated by the collapse of hundreds of modern buildings. Building codes were completely ignored, many corners were cut. On the other hand there was an extremely positive view of Italy's recovery phase. The emergency response was impressive. The main agency responsible for disaster response is the Civil Protection. They collaborated with firefighters, police, ambulance crews and numerous volunteers. Room and board were provided to anyone who needed it. Search and rescue teams arrived within hours of the earthquake and makeshift hospitals were immediately set up to help anyone who needed it. Within 24 hours the L'Aquila hospital was completely replaced by the first of two field hospitals that arrived in the area. The military used Medivac techniques to transport seriously injured patients to a hospital outside the disaster area. Many camps were set up for the homeless, safe and secure environments in which they could remain. Over 10 thousand people were hosted in hotels on the coast. The government needed a long-term plan to house the homeless. They gave birth to the CASE project. Residents of the state were provided with all basic necessities, including bedding, electricity, internet and gas. There was a big problem with the CASE project..