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. 2014 Jun:8:125-142.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2014.02.001.

Myths and realities about the recovery of L׳Aquila after the earthquake

Diana Contreras  1 , Thomas Blaschke  2 , Stefan Kienberger  1 , Peter Zeil  1
Affiliations

Myths and realities about the recovery of L׳Aquila after the earthquake

Diana Contreras et al. Int J Disaster Risk Reduct. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

There is a set of myths which are linked to the recovery of L׳Aquila, such as: the L׳Aquila recovery has come to a halt, it is still in an early recovery phase, and there is economic stagnation. The objective of this paper is threefold: (a) to identify and develop a set of spatial indicators for the case of L׳Aquila, (b) to test the feasibility of a numerical assessment of these spatial indicators as a method to monitor the progress of a recovery process after an earthquake and (c) to answer the question whether the recovery process in L׳Aquila stagnates or not. We hypothesize that after an earthquake the spatial distribution of expert defined variables can constitute an index to assess the recovery process more objectively. In these articles, we aggregated several indicators of building conditions to characterize the physical dimension, and we developed building use indicators to serve as proxies for the socio-economic dimension while aiming for transferability of this approach. The methodology of this research entailed six steps: (1) fieldwork, (2) selection of a sampling area, (3) selection of the variables and indicators for the physical and socio-economic dimensions, (4) analyses of the recovery progress using spatial indicators by comparing the changes in the restricted core area as well as building use over time; (5) selection and integration of the results through expert weighting; and (6) determining hotspots of recovery in L׳Aquila. Eight categories of building conditions and twelve categories of building use were identified. Both indicators: building condition and building use are aggregated into a recovery index. The reconstruction process in the city center of L׳Aquila seems to stagnate, which is reflected by the five following variables: percentage of buildings with on-going reconstruction, partial reconstruction, reconstruction projected residential building use and transport facilities. These five factors were still at low levels within the core area in 2012. Nevertheless, we can conclude that the recovery process in L׳Aquila did not come to a halt but is still ongoing, albeit being slow.

Keywords: Disaster recovery; Earthquakes; GIS; Monitoring; Spatial indicators; Urban change.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
L׳Aquila (Italy); (a) location. Source: Google Earth, and (b) Map of the ground motion intensity during the earthquake in L׳Aquila (Italy). Sources: USGS.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Degree of damage and its spatial pattern in L׳Aquila after the earthquake in 2009. Based on “Individuazione aree con fattibilita׳ a breve termine citta׳ di L׳Aquila”. Noi Abruzzo No. 1, March 23, 2010 and Tiede, Experiment on the “L׳Aquila Area Earthquake”, with VHR images before and after the date of the event (April 6, 2009) in the Department of Geoinformatics, Z_GIS Salzburg University, Salzburg, 2010, pp. 6.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Methodology to assess the progress of the recovery after an earthquake.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changes around Piazza del Duomo in L׳Aquila (Italy) between 2010 and 2012. (a) Duomo with fences (2010); (b) Duomo without fences (2012), but the entrance remains forbidden; (c) Via Corso Vittorio (2010); (d) Via Corso Vittorio with some landscape interventions (2012); (e) Bar – Caffetteria – Gelateria Fratelli Nurzia (2010) and (f) Bar – Caffetteria – Gelateria Fratelli Nurzia (2012). Photos by Diana M. Contreras M.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Cases in the stages of the buildings. Progress in the reconstruction: (a) Santa Maria de Collemaggio (2010) and (b) Santa Maria de Collemaggio (2012) (inside is still propped). No changes between 2010 and 2012: (c) Student hostel (2010) and (d) Student hostel (2012). Buildings more deteriorated: (e) Porta Napoli (2010) and (f) Porta Napoli (2012). Photos by Diana M. Contreras M.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Time series to compare the changes in a sampling area within the restricted zone in L׳Aquila (Italy) after the earthquake between (a) 2010 and (b) 2012.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Time series to compare the changes in the building use in the center of L׳Aquila (Italy) after the earthquake between (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c)2012.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Result of the expert weights for variables of the indicators: building condition and building use.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Comparison of changes in the restricted zone in L׳Aquila (Italy) after the earthquake between 2010 and 2012.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Comparison of changes in the sampling area regarding the building use in the center of L׳Aquila (Italy) after the earthquake between 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Recovery progress in the city center of L׳Aquila (Italy) after the earthquake in (a) 2010, and (b) 2012.
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