1976 Friuli earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1976 Friuli earthquake took place in the Friuli
region in northeast Italy
on Thursday, May 6, 1976. Measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale, the quake, centered on the town of Gemona del Friuli
, killed 989 people, 2400 injured and left 157,000 homeless. It is known in Italy as Terremoto del Friuli (Friulian earthquake).
s with the most intense one on 15 September 1976 at 09:21 am, causing further damage to buildings.
77 villages in the Friuli region were affected. Gemona del Friuli was greatly damaged and despite extensive emergency measures and international aid
by the end of 1976 15000 people were still living in camping trailers, 1000 in tents and 25000 in evacuation centres. The damage was estimated at $4.25 billion. Much of the town has since been reconstructed. The tremour was felt in Venice
as well as neighbouring Austria
, Switzerland
and Slovenia
(at the time SFR Yugoslavia). In Slovenia, the upper Soča
valley and the Brda area was particularly affected, with the village of Breginj
nearly completely demolished. The earthquake damaged several buildings in Nova Gorica
and was felt also in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana
.
The Italian Government nominated Chamber of Deputies member Giuseppe Zamberletti
as leader of aids' coordination. He was given the chance of collaborating with the local Administration. The national funds were assigned to the reconstruction of the spoilt buildings by Zamberletti and the regional management of Friuli Venezia Giulia. From September to December 1976 all the earthquake victims were accommodated into prefabricated buildings, in order to cope the winter in sake. After Zamberletti's mandate the regional government of Friuli Venezia Giulia could totally rebuild many towns, thanks to an accurate resource management. Nowadays, many years after the tragedy, Friuli Venezia Giulia and State's intervention is seen as a great example of efficiency and reliability.
This event gave also the opportunity of encouraging the foundation of the "Protezione Civile
" (the Italian Civil Defense body that deals with national prediction, prevention and management of exceptional events).
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
region in northeast Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on Thursday, May 6, 1976. Measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale, the quake, centered on the town of Gemona del Friuli
Gemona del Friuli
Gemona del Friuli is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km northwest of Udine....
, killed 989 people, 2400 injured and left 157,000 homeless. It is known in Italy as Terremoto del Friuli (Friulian earthquake).
History
The quake struck at 21:06 pm. There were many aftershockAftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s with the most intense one on 15 September 1976 at 09:21 am, causing further damage to buildings.
77 villages in the Friuli region were affected. Gemona del Friuli was greatly damaged and despite extensive emergency measures and international aid
Aid
In international relations, aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country....
by the end of 1976 15000 people were still living in camping trailers, 1000 in tents and 25000 in evacuation centres. The damage was estimated at $4.25 billion. Much of the town has since been reconstructed. The tremour was felt in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
as well as neighbouring Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
(at the time SFR Yugoslavia). In Slovenia, the upper Soča
Soca
The Soča or Isonzo is a 140 km long river that flows through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. An Alpine river in character, its source lies in the Trenta Valley in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, at an elevation of around 1,100 metres...
valley and the Brda area was particularly affected, with the village of Breginj
Breginj
Breginj is a village in the Kobarid municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.Until the 18th century, Breginj was part of the Republic of Venice, and it is still considered as part of the historical region known as the Venetian Slovenia...
nearly completely demolished. The earthquake damaged several buildings in Nova Gorica
Nova Gorica
Nova Gorica ; 21,082 ; 31,000 ) is a town and a municipality in western Slovenia, on the border with Italy...
and was felt also in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
.
The Italian Government nominated Chamber of Deputies member Giuseppe Zamberletti
Giuseppe Zamberletti
Giuseppe Zamberletti is an Italian politician, one of the founders of Italy's Protezione Civile , of which he was the first minister in Italy from 1981.-Biography:Zamberletti was born in Varese, Lombardy....
as leader of aids' coordination. He was given the chance of collaborating with the local Administration. The national funds were assigned to the reconstruction of the spoilt buildings by Zamberletti and the regional management of Friuli Venezia Giulia. From September to December 1976 all the earthquake victims were accommodated into prefabricated buildings, in order to cope the winter in sake. After Zamberletti's mandate the regional government of Friuli Venezia Giulia could totally rebuild many towns, thanks to an accurate resource management. Nowadays, many years after the tragedy, Friuli Venezia Giulia and State's intervention is seen as a great example of efficiency and reliability.
This event gave also the opportunity of encouraging the foundation of the "Protezione Civile
Protezione Civile
The "Protezione Civile" department is the national body in Italy that deals with the prediction, prevention and management of exceptional events....
" (the Italian Civil Defense body that deals with national prediction, prevention and management of exceptional events).