Ricerc@Sapienza

Between August 2016 and January 2017 nine shallow events with moment magnitude between 5.0 and 6.5 occurred in Central Italy, with largest magnitude being the most severe in Italy since 1980. Several thousands of heritage buildings have been affected to a different degree by the ground motion shaking, highlighting some specific behaviours in the most stricken areas. In and around Amatrice extensive masonry fragmentation, cracking of large walls without openings, as well as survival of tall towers and slender bell gables have been observed.

The seismic sequence which started on August 24th, 2016, caused hundreds of casualties, damage and collapses in four regions of Central Italy (Lazio, Umbria, Abruzzo and Marche). The strongest event, which occurred on October 30th (Mw6.5), was forerun by four earthquakes with magnitude between 5.4 and 6.0. So far, a total of nine events with magnitude greater than or equal to 5.0 have taken place in the affected area. The earthquakes were caused by normal faults, all of them having NW–SE or NNW–SSE strike, approximately along the spine of the Apennine Mountains.