BOX 1

IJPP ­ Italian Journal of Planning Practice 1Vol. III, issue 1 ­ 2013

Giacomina Di Salvo

ISSN: 2239­267X

Architect, PhD in Urban Planning
Dipartimento Design, Tecnologia dell’Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente ­ Sapienza Università di

From a geological point of view Italy is a young and dynamic country; this
explains why almost all of its territory is characterised by seismic hazard, at
different levels. Not only that of hazard but other indicators determine the
seismic risk: vulnerability (of structures, buildings and towns) and exposure
(functions and numbers of occupants). The Italian urban system shows a very
high level of vulnerability, due to both its high urban density, a diffuse historic
heritage and the weakness of prevention and safety goals in urban planning.
As an example, the damages provoked by earthquakes in Italy are statistically
much greater compared with what happens in other seismic areas like
California or Japan; the earthquake which struck the two Central Italy regions
of Marche and Umbria in 1997, caused the same level of damage as the
Californian earthquake of 1989, where the seismic event had been much more
violent. A brief history of the main earthquakes in Italy in the last fifty years
underlines the lack of a useful and effective national legislative framework to
address the problem. The point is that national policies have always been
focused on emergencies and on reconstruction rather than on prevention, that

THE POLICY OF RECONSTRUCTION AND REDUCTION
OF SEISMIC RISK IN ITALY
A Brief History of recent earthquakes



IJPP ­ Italian Journal of Planning Practice 2Vol. III, issue 1 ­ 2013

Di Salvo ­ Box 1: reconstruction and reduction of seismic risk in Italy

is to say, following an event rather than trying to prevent its worst effects. As
a matter of fact, each strong earthquake has brought the production of many
laws for reconstruction, without creating a systematic framework of policies
and tools for prevention.
Only with the national Law 77/2009, originated after the tragic seismic event
in the town of L'Aquila, have some steps been taken in this direction. This Act
provides for a national plan for the mitigation of seismic risks and it should be
implemented at regional and local level through specific tools directed to
defining local levels of seismic hazard (geological micro zoning analysis) and
to improve urban and territorial capability for emergency management.

REFERENCES
http://www.protezionecivile.gov.it/jcms/it/emerg_it_sismico.wp
NIMIS P. (2009), Terre Mobili: Donzelli;
DI SALVO G., GIUFFRÉ M., PELLEGRINO P., PIZZO B., for INU working group:

Seismic risk and urban vulnerability, Comparative and critical notes on recent
Italian legislations in the field of seismic risk (unpublished).

MAIN EARTHQUAKES IN ITALY IN 20TH CENTURY AND THEIR
CONSEQUENCES ON THE SEISMIC RISK POLICY



IJPP ­ Italian Journal of Planning Practice 3Vol. III, issue 1 ­ 2013

Di Salvo ­ Box 1: reconstruction and reduction of seismic risk in Italy

MAIN EARTHQUAKES IN ITALY IN 20TH CENTURY AND THEIR
CONSEQUENCES ON THE SEISMIC RISK POLICY