Terremoto Ischia 2017

On August 21, 2017 a series of earthquake tremors affect the island of Ischia. The strongest occurs at 20.57. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology announces that the event, located in the municipality of Casamicciola Terme, has a local magnitude of 3.6. In the hours following the earthquake, the Institute specifies that the data relating to the magnitude duration is 4.0, an estimate used to measure events in the volcanic area. The damage is limited to a very limited area north of the island, between Casamicciola and Lacco Ameno. The news of a victim, a woman, is immediately spread, to which unfortunately a second one will be added.

The Head of Department Angelo Borrelli convenes the Civil Protection Operational Committee, which meets in the presence of the President of the Council of Ministers, Paolo Gentiloni. Following what emerged during the Committee, three teams of the Department are sent to the territory, in support of local and regional authorities. At the same time, an increase in the contingents of various Operating Structures is provided for, in particular the Fire Brigade with units specialising in search and rescue. About 750 men and women of the National Civil Protection Service are working on the island a few hours before the event and about 140 vehicles are employed including machines, helicopters and patrol boats. The arrival of the forces on the island is possible thanks to the synergic contribution of the components of the State which, in order to ensure the movements of men and means, make available air and sea assets.

The activities on the island are concentrated on the rescue of some people who are under the rubble of a building in Casamicciola and in particular on the rescue of three brothers. They are the last to be saved because they were stuck in the point of the building particularly difficult to reach.
For those in need of assistance, in the most affected municipalities and in the ports of Casamicciola and Ischia, first aid points are set up by civil protection volunteers from the Campania region and the Italian Red Cross Crime. Thousands of people spontaneously choose to leave Ischia.

On August 22nd the President of the Council signed the declaration of the "Risk of compromising primary interests", entrusting the coordination of the first aid interventions to the Head of the Civil Protection Department, through the Components and Operational Structures of the National Service of Civil Protection.

A few hours after the earthquake, on August 22nd, the checks of viability also begin. Priority was given to the Rizzoli hospital, which was initially evacuated as a precautionary measure, and to school buildings and hotels.

On 29 August the Council of Ministers deliberated on the state of emergency due to the earthquake. The municipalities concerned by the declaration are Casamicciola Terme, Forio and Lacco Ameno.
The first order of the Head of Department, signed on 29 August, appoints Commissioner delegate the architect Giuseppe Grimaldi, who is responsible for coordinating the operational centers activated on the territory, the interventions already underway and those that, later, will be considered necessary to overcome the critical issues in place.

• Macroseismic relief