Britaney's Web: The 1980 Irpinia Earthquake

On Sunday 23rd November 1980, a massive earthquake struck the region of Irpinia in southern Italy. Centering on the village of Conza, the quake killed 2,914 people, injured more than 10,000 and left 300,000 homeless.

Earthquakes are caused by crustal plate movements sliding past each other without the construction or destruction of the crust. When these move, some of the energy is released as earthquakes. There are three types of crustal plate environments: extensional (spreading), transform (sideways), and compressional (convegence). Plate boundaries in different localities are subject to different inter-plate stresses, producing these three types of earthquakes.

An extensional geological fault exists throughout the spine of Italy, and tectonic movement is very slowly pulling the crust, and the Apennine mountain range apart.

With Italy’s long record of damaging earthquakes stretching back over 2,000 years, earthquakes represent the most hazardous natural peril to which the country is exposed. The magnitude of the earthquake at Irpinia measured a massive 6.89 on the Richter scale. 90 aftershocks were followed after the initial earthquake. Towns in the province of Avellino were the worst hit, where 300 people were killed including 27 children in an orphanage. Eighty percent of the town was destroyed. A medieval church in Balvano collapsed during a Sunday service and killed 100 people. The towns of Lioni, Conza di Campania (near the epicenter), and Teora were destroyed, and dozens of structures in Naples have collapsed. Damage was seen over more than 26,000 km².

The Italian government funded 59 billion lire for reconstruction, and other nations too sent contributions. Germany contributed 32 million USD and the United States 70 million USD. Sadly, in the early nineties, corruption was rampant in Italy and a scandal emerged of the billions of lire that disappeared from the earthquake reconstruction funds. Out of the $40 billion intended for earthquake reconstruction, around $20 billion went into creating an entirely new social class of millionaires, $6.4 billion went to the Camorra (mafia and secret societies), whereas another $4 billion went to bribe politicians. Only $9.6 billion of the total amount, was actually spent on people's needs.

Reflection: After researching on the Irpinian ea

rthquake, I felt the pain of the Italian people who suffered the lost of their loved ones, watched helplessly their homes being destroyed, endured the injury and terror of the earthquake, only to be left with the mass destruction of the aftermath. I am angry that the financial aid that was raise to help the victims of catastrophe was swindled away by corrupted officials that were supposed to run the country. I look forward today and in the future that this injustice will not happen again.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcd7BIR7fps&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbRS0eBsqFA&feature=related

Reference Websites:

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Irpinia_earthquake

(extracted 28-Feb-2010)

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camorra

(extracted 28-Feb-2010)

John N. Louie, Ph.D

http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/plate-tectonics.html

(extracted 28-Feb-2010)

Lino Sorrentini

http://www.agendaonline.it/terremotoirpinia/