“THE MESSINA EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF DECEMBER 28, 1908”

 

“The Messina Earthquake and Tsunami of December 28, 1908”

This stands as one of the deadliest natural disasters in European history. It was a catastrophic event that nearly obliterated the cities of Messina in Sicily and Reggio di Calabria on the Italian mainland, along with dozens of coastal villages. 

The Catastrophe Unfolds.

The Earthquake.

The main shock occurred on Monday, December 28, 1908, at approximately 5:20 AM local time. Most residents were asleep, significantly contributing to the high death toll.

·  Epicenter: The earthquake's epicenter was located beneath the Strait of Messina, the narrow waterway separating the island of Sicily from the mainland region of Calabria.

·  Magnitude: Modern estimates generally place the moment magnitude ($M_w$) of the earthquake between 7.1 and 7.5, making it an exceptionally powerful event.

·  Intensity: The destruction reached an extreme intensity of XI (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale in the epicentral region.

·  Duration: The violent shaking lasted for approximately 30 to 40 seconds. 

The Tsunami.

Around ten minutes after the initial earthquake, a devastating tsunami struck the coasts of the Strait of Messina.⁰ The earthquake-induced seafloor displacement and/or subsequent underwater landslides (a subject of ongoing research) generated the massive waves.

·  Wave Height: The tsunami waves were immense, with reported run-up heights reaching up to 12 meters (39 feet) in some areas, particularly along the Calabrian coast (e.g., at Sant'Alessio). In Messina, waves reached about 8 meters, and in Reggio di Calabria, up to 15 meters.

·  Impact: The sea violently receded before the waves rushed in, sweeping away people who had fled to the shore, as well as boats, ships, and harbor structures. The waves penetrated hundreds of yards inland, compounding the destruction caused by the quake. 

Destruction and Casualties.

The combined force of the earthquake and the tsunami led to unimaginable destruction and loss of life, overwhelming the capacity of the infrastructure and government to respond effectively. 

Death Toll and Damage.

The final count of casualties remains debated due to the sheer scale of the disaster and the loss of records, but estimates range widely, with the most common figures between 80,000 and 120,000 deaths.

·  Messina: The city of Messina, with a population of about 140,000 at the time, was virtually leveled. Approximately 91% of its structures were destroyed or irreparably damaged, and the death toll in the city and its suburbs was estimated at around 75,000.

·  Reggio di Calabria: Similarly, the city of Reggio di Calabria was almost completely eradicated, with an estimated 25,000 lives lost.

·  Poor Construction: A major reason for the extraordinarily high death toll was the poor quality of building construction. Many structures were made of stone with weak mortar, collapsing instantly and burying tens of thousands of people alive as they slept. The damage was not primarily due to the tsunami or subsequent fires, but the structural failure of housing in densely populated areas.

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Rescue and Aftermath.

Initial rescue efforts were severely hampered by the destruction of virtually all infrastructure: municipal buildings, police barracks, ports, hospitals, communication lines (telegraphs/telephones), and water and gas facilities were all ruined.

·  International Aid: Due to the scale of the disaster, aid poured in from across the globe. Notably, Russian and British naval ships stationed in the Mediterranean were among the first on the scene, providing crucial assistance in pulling survivors from the rubble, offering medical aid, and supplying necessities.

·  Displacement: Tens of thousands of survivors were left homeless, facing freezing winter conditions and shortages of food and water. Many were relocated to other parts of Italy, and a significant number emigrated abroad, particularly to the United States. 

Legacy

The 1908 Messina Earthquake and Tsunami served as a grim landmark, fundamentally influencing seismic risk management in Italy and globally.

·  Seismic Building Codes: The catastrophe led to the rapid establishment of the first Italian seismic building codes in 1909, forcing a radical rethinking of construction techniques in seismically active areas.

·  Engineering Advancements: It became a critical event for civil engineers, stimulating research into earthquake-resistant building design and the use of more resilient materials.

·  Historical Significance: The event remains a powerful historical memory, highlighting the immense vulnerability of human settlements to natural forces and the critical role of building codes and rapid disaster response.

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