Dear Sirs, On 3 December 2010, a remarkable piece published in the Financial Times reported that "eighteen months after an earthquake struck the heart of Abruzzo, Italy, killing 309 people, the region's capital city, L'Aquila (town with a population of 72,000 and a health district of 103,788), is still a ghost town. Buildings and monuments have been secured and all the rabble removed, but the "red zone" in the 13th-century city centre is still a no-go area and its residents, relocated elsewhere, are starting to despair of ever returning". The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (Richter magnitude 6.3) killing 309 residents, injuring over 2,500, leaving 28,000 homeless and 66,000 displaced, caused destruction or serious damage to between 3,000 and 11,000 buildings (the 65% of building and homes).
展开▼
