BLOG 8 - DISASTERS IN ITALY

Throughout the semester, we have covered several natural disasters in Italy. From extreme weather to coastal erosion, we have touched down on how exactly these things effect the country's environment and ecosystem. But of all them, which disasters are actually the most likely to occur and pose the biggest threat to the people of Italy? The answer lies in seismic activity. Italy is located between two tectonic plates, the African and Eurasian plates. Due to its location along these plates, the country is often experiencing seismic activity as these plates move closer together and converge. This results in one of the biggest dangers for Italy: earthquakes.

In the last 30 days alone, Italy has experienced 15 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or above (Volcano Discovery). In the last 2,000 years, Italy has experienced at least 400 catastrophic earthquakes; as recent as 2016, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in central Italy left approximately 247 people dead. This earthquake practically destroyed the town of Amatrice, reducing it to rubble (Time). 

One of the best initiatives for the people of Italy to take is to be well-versed in earthquake safety. Because Italy is so prone to earthquakes, training should be done from a young age to properly teach children to prepare themselves in the event of a quake - in fact, people of all ages should routinely brush up on their safety skills. They should make sure they have all the proper supplies for an earthquake as well as a proper evacuation plan, so that if they need to follow instructions to get out of the area they can safely due so. 

Sources: 

https://time.com/4464060/earthquake-central-italy-apennine-region-amatrice-accumuli/

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/italy.html