1976 Friuli earthquake

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(north of Udine)

Canal Valley (Val Canale ), Tagliamento, Tolmezzo Gemona, Venzone Osoppo

Observed intensity of earthquake

On Thursday, May 6, 1976 20:59 clock (CET), the Italian region Friuli -Venezia Giulia region was rocked by a major earthquake. The epicenter of the quake was located north of Udine, on Monte San Simeone in the communities Trasaghis and Bordano. The communities in the Canal Valley (Val Canale ) and the Tagliamento to Tolmezzo and the area around Gemona, Venzone and Osoppo were the hardest hit. Overall, in the disaster 989 people were killed.

The one minutes continuous earthquakes reached a magnitude of MS = 6.5. On the Mercalli scale, the intensity of the earthquake is given with the step 10. The tremors were felt throughout northern Italy and adjacent regions of Slovenia as well as in neighboring Austria (mainly iG ). Also in Bavaria ground movements were reported by the earthquake.

Geological framework

Friuli was and will always be plagued by earthquakes. Since records began in 1115 some 200 major earthquakes were recorded. Investigations revealed a close match of the 1976 quake and 1348th These are consequences of plate tectonics. Due to the collision of the African plate ( Adria spur ) with the Eurasian plate, the Alps were folded. In the Eastern Alps, the African plate pushes in depth 15,000 m under the Eurasian plate, unlike the rest of the Alps, where the European plate occupies the position of the lower plate. Due to the thrust of the two lithospheric plates, the area of Friuli is raised, the occurring stresses in the earth's crust discharged in earthquakes.

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Approximately 80,000 people in 77 communities were affected by the earthquake devastation, 45,000 lost their homes or apartments. Gemona and the neighboring communities Venzone and Osoppo have been badly damaged. The famous cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta ( St. Mary of the Assumption) in Gemona were only the foundation walls. In the cathedral today are the pillars something wrong and still remember after the reconstruction of the earthquake. Also the Cathedral of Venzone was completely destroyed.

In the autumn of the same year there was in the region to more severe earthquakes. On September 11, 1976, there were two tremors at 18:31 and 18:40 clock with an intensity of 7.5 and 8 on the Mercalli scale. On 15 September 1976 shook at about 5:00 clock the earth and at 11:30 there was an aftershock. This earthquake reached an intensity of more than 10 on the Mercalli scale. However, many buildings were completely destroyed, which had been damaged already on May 6. A further 30,000 people were left homeless.

From the Italian state first money was made to rebuild the industry available to limit the migration or emigration to other countries from the previously affected by job shortage area. For the reconstruction of houses and donations from other countries, such as Austria came from. Also the Cathedral and the Cathedral of Gemona Venzone were built like other churches destroyed again.