The Friuli earthquake: 50 years after the event, the INGV and the OGS have published a story map that traces a community's journey of healing and recovery

Five decades after the earthquake that devastated Friuli Venezia Giulia, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology - INGV and the OGS have published the story map “Quella notte una sola notizia. Friuli 1976, storie di una comunità tornata a vivere" (That night, there was only a single piece of news. Friuli 1976, the story of a community coming back to life), a five-chapter account that traces one of the strongest and most devastating seismic events of the second half of the 20th century in Italy.

Starting with the audio recording of the first tremor on May 6, 1976, and continuing with data and images of the devastating aftermath, as well as accounts of the emergency response and reconstruction: the story map integrates information and scientific analysis of the earthquake, with geolocated photo tours, eyewitness accounts and period reports.

Special attention is given to the role of the press, which, following the initial chaos of the first few hours, became an ally of the scientists thanks to its pioneering use of data journalism in the service of the public. This resurgence is illustrated by the account of the "Zamberletti Method" and the "Friuli Model", which made it possible to rebuild the villages "exactly where they were and as they were".

The story culminates in a series of poems recited in the Friulian dialect, which immerse the reader in the local myths and legends, including that of the "Orcolat" earthquake, which helped to exorcise the tragedy. 

Ther story map Quella notte una sola notizia. Friuli 1976, storie di una comunità tornata a vivere is available at this link.