Italy Quake of 1908

Earthquakes are among the most destructive, deadly and unpredictable natural disasters that human beings can experience. There have been many testaments to this fact throughout history, from the great San Francisco quake of 1906 to the recent 2011 Japan quake and the dozens that occurred in between. As it has been seen in the aftermath of Earthquakes such as these, the magnitude of an Earthquake is only the first variable in a variety of factors that determine the amount of destruction an Earthquake can cause; structural integrity of urban structures, location of the epicenter and a little bit of chance all play a role. The 1908 Italy Earthquake may be one of the most prevalent examples of this.

The Italy earthquake of 1908 is the most deadly earthquake in Europe's history and is estimated to have claimed between 100,000 and 200,000 lives. After the untimely collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, an earthquake struck at around 5:00 am on December 28, 1908. Modern day seismograph technology was not yet implemented, but it is estimated that the quake had a magnitude between 6.7 and 7.2. There is some disagreement however; some experts speculate a magnitude as high as 7.5. The earthquake occurred along the Straits of Messina, which are located in the small region between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily. The earthquake immediately sent shock-waves through the nearby cities of Messina and Reggio di Calabria, and the effects were also felt in Sicily and as far north as Naples. Unfortunately, the initial ground shaking was only a dark, preview of what was soon to come. The epicenter of the quake was located underwater and as a result, a massive tsunami was created by the high magnitude quake. Some scientists believe the earthquake directly created the tsunamis, while others believe an underwater landslide created them, but regardless of the scientific debate, their destruction is certain. A mere ten minutes after the quake, Tsunami waves, which were recorded to be more than 20 feet high, swept violently through Messina, Reggio di Calabria. Between the stress of the quake and the destructive waves that followed, the two cities were instantly demolished. To varying degrees, the effects of the tsunami could be seen for 62 miles along the Italian coastline. As high as 90% of the buildings in the two cities were completely destroyed and reduced to rubble; the damage was so severe that those who witnessed the aftermath were left deeming the carnage as indescribable. An even more somber fact is that thousands of bodies lay trapped in this rubble, unable to escape the earthquakes destruction. From that point forward, the city of Messina became known as "Citta di Morte," which translates to "city of the dead."

In response to the preventable destruction and loss of life brought about by the earthquake, it was realized that structural changes were necessary. Upon rebuilding Messina, Reggio di Calbaria and surrounding areas, structures were created that could withstand the effects of an earthquake of such high magnitude. Without the structural weakness of the buildings in 1908, thousands of lives could have been saved.