2009 L'Aquila earthquake

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake struck the Abruzzo region of central Italy in the early hours of the morning, with a magnitude of about 6.3. The city of L'Aquila, a historic walled town, suffered the worst damage, including to medieval churches and palaces, and nearby villages were also hit. Roughly 300 people died, thousands were injured, and tens of thousands were left homeless. The disaster led to a controversial trial in which seven scientists and officials were convicted of manslaughter for how they communicated the risk before the quake; most convictions were overturned on appeal. The reconstruction of the historic centre took many years.

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