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Red Zone, 5 years after the earthquake

On Monday, April 6th of 2009, a powerful earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale shook the central Italian city of L’Aquila and its surrounding villages. This great tremor took the lives of 309 people and left around 67,000 people homeless, more than 90% of the total affected population. At 3:32 am, in less than 20 seconds, the Aquilani saw their everyday life reduced to rubble, and the outline of their city completely blurred. In addition to its natural surroundings, L’Aquila is visited and renowned for being the fifth Italian city in artistic heritage. One year after the earthquake, the vitality and solidarity that was awoken by this tragedy began to dissipate. Having overcome basic issues, the impetus and enthusiasm for the revitalization of the city began to dwindle while the reconstruction funds for the historical downtown of the city did not arrive. At present, the historical downtown area continues to be a ghost town, partially cordoned off, in which a good part of the buildings are shored and there are practically no open businesses. The majority of the survivors had to reestablish themselves in containers or in some of the business areas outside. The city was completely dismantled, and the social and economic life entered a deep coma. Dozens of cranes fill the skyline at the heart of L’Aquila, and the only signs of life that can be perceived during the day are the hundreds of workers from all over Italy that work on the much awaited restoration. Reconstruction finally began five years after the disaster, delayed by cases of corruption and mismanagement of money. The area most impacted by the quake, and where the reconstruction projects have been concentrated, has been closed off due to a high risk of collapse and labeled as the red zone. This includes the historical downtown of L’Aquila, with some of its more emblematic buildings, as well as the village of Onna. Onna was the hardest hit area of the quake, where 40 lives were taken and was left practi

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