Turning the rumor of the May 11, 2011, earthquake prediction in Rome, Italy, into an information day on earthquake hazard

Nostro, Concetta and Amato, Alessandro and Cultrera, Giovanna and Margheriti, Lucia and Selvaggi, Giulio and Arcoraci , Luca and Casarotti, Emanuele and Di Stefano, Raffaele and Cerrato , Simona (2012) Turning the rumor of the May 11, 2011, earthquake prediction in Rome, Italy, into an information day on earthquake hazard. Annals of geophysics, 55 (3). pp. 413-420. ISSN 2037-416X

Preview

PDF 5559-10775-1-PB.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (2MB)

Abstract

A devastating earthquake was predicted to hit Rome on May 11, 2011. This prediction was never officially released, but it grew on the internet and was amplified by the media. It was erroneously ascribed to Raffaele Bendandi, an Italian self-taught natural scientist who studied planetary motions and related them to earthquakes. Indeed, around May 11, 2011, there was a planetary alignment, and this fed the credibility of the earthquake prediction. During the months preceding May 2011, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) was overwhelmed with requests for information about this prediction, by the inhabitants of Rome and by tourists. Given the echo of this earthquake prediction, on May 11, 2011, the INGV decided to organize an Open Day at its headquarters in Rome, to inform the public about Italian seismicity and earthquake physics. The Open Day was preceded by a press conference two days before, to talk with journalists about this prediction, and to present the Open Day. During this ‘Day’, 13 new videos were also posted on our YouTube/INGVterremoti channel to explain earthquake processes and hazards, and to provide periodic updates on seismicity in Italy from the seismicity monitoring room. On May 11, 2011, the INGV headquarters was peacefully invaded by over 3,000 visitors, from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm: families, students with and without teachers, civil protection groups, and many journalists. This initiative that was built up in a few weeks has had very large feedback, and was a great opportunity to talk with journalists and people about earthquake prediction, and more in general about the seismic risk in Italy

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Seismic hazard, Education and outreach, Seismic risk reduction
Subjects:	300 Scienze sociali > 360 Problemi e servizi sociali; associazioni > 363 Altri problemi e servizi sociali > 363.3 Altri aspetti della sicurezza pubblica > 363.34 Sicurezza pubblica. Catastrofi 500 Scienze naturali e Matematica > 550 Scienze della Terra > 551 Geologia, Idrologia, Meteorologia > 551.2 Vulcani, terremoti, acque termali e gas > 551.22 Terremoti (Classificare qui la Sismologia) (Classificare le onde di maremoto in 551.463) 500 Scienze naturali e Matematica > 550 Scienze della Terra > 554 Scienze della terra – Europa (Classificare qui la Geologia, i rilevamenti geologici, la stratigrafia dell’Europa) > 554.5 Scienze della Terra – Italia (Classificare qui la Geologia, i rilevamenti geologici, la stratigrafia dell’Italia)
Depositing User:	Roberto Wiedman
Date Deposited:	12 Oct 2012 09:22
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2012 09:22
URI:	http://eprints.bice.rm.cnr.it/id/eprint/4211

Actions (login required)

View Item