1908 Messina Earthquake and Tsunami

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Questions and Answers

Match each consequence of the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami with its correct description:

Land Subsidence = Sinking of land in Messina, Reggio Calabria, and Villa San Giovanni. Coastal Retreat = Beaches receding by up to 50 meters in areas like Pellaro. Landslides and Mudslides = Slope failures triggered across Calabria and Sicily. Tsunami Devastation = Further destruction and casualties on both coasts of the Strait.

Match each data source to its relevance in reconstructing the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Ministry of Public Works Report = Details government actions for safety and construction post-disaster. Photographic Documentation = Provides visual records of the 'before and after' of affected cities. State Archives of Messina and Reggio Calabria = Holds administrative sources and institutional documentation. Cinematographic Footage = Documents damages and emergency situations after the catastrophe.

Match each impact of the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami with its description:

Social Repercussions = Significantly damaged building heritage and long-term area isolation. Environmental Upheaval = Major landscape changes, especially in the Strait area. Building Destruction = Widespread collapse or severe damage to buildings. High Casualties = Approximately eighty thousand deaths in affected areas.

Match the scientific contributions with the scientists who made them, following the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Mario Baratta = Authored the most complete work on the earthquake from direct observations, 'La catastrofe seismica calabro messinese'. Giuseppe Mercalli = Classified earthquake intensities and added degree XI 'catastrophe' to his macroseismic scale. Giovanni Platania = Studied the tsunami's effects and collected accounts from direct witnesses. Ministry of Public Works = Provided data for only 2 buildings to be unharmed in the earthquake. Signup and view all the answers

Match each characteristic or effect with the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Earthquake Magnitude = Measured at 7.1 on the Richter scale. Tsunami Interval = Occurred five to ten minutes after the earthquake. Wave Height in Sicily = Reached between six and nine and a half meters. Wave Height in Calabria = Reached between six and thirteen meters. Signup and view all the answers

Match each term with its description related to the causes and impacts of the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Structural Weakness = Substandard construction amplified the earthquake's destructive power. Seismic History = Previous earthquakes in 1894, 1905, and 1907 weakened structures. Building Damage = Complete destruction or severe damage to structures. Mortality Rate = Approximately eighty thousand people died as a result of the earthquake and tsunami. Signup and view all the answers

Match each element with its respective description relating to historical and scientific analyses of the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Giovanni Platania's Study = Collected direct witness accounts and estimated wave heights of the tsunami. Administrative Sources = Provide reliable historical data from state archives in Messina and Reggio Calabria. Italian Photographic Society = Published a collection documenting the cities' 'before' and 'after'. Mario Baratta's Work = A methodological reference, offering quality, systematic information combined with clarity of exposition. Signup and view all the answers

Match the contributing factors with their impact on the severity of the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Structural Vulnerability = Increased devastation due to inadequate repairs from previous earthquakes. Tsunami Impact = Aggravated earthquake destruction, causing additional casualties. Geological Upheaval Impact = Significant landscape changes, including land subsidence and coastal retreat. Social Repercussions = Further isolation of affected areas and long-term consequences. Signup and view all the answers

Match each scientific figure with their contribution to the study of the 1908 Messina Earthquake:

Mario Baratta = Conducted extensive field research and authored the definitive work on the earthquake. Giuseppe Mercalli = Visited Messina and Reggio, classifying the earthquake's intensity using his scale. Giovanni Platania = Examined the marine phenomenon, noting the distribution of the seaquake and the direction of the resulting waves. Ministry of Public Works = Undertook the activity carried out by the government in the affected municipalities for the safety of buildings. Signup and view all the answers

Match each aspect of the 1908 Messina earthquake with its lasting impact:

Loss of Buildings = Significant damage to homes, public structures, and infrastructure. Disruption of Society = Severe social repercussions due to loss of life and damage to building heritage. Geological Impact = Land subsidence, coastal changes, and landslides altered the landscape. Scientific Study = Extensive research led to insights into seismic activity and risk mitigation. Signup and view all the answers

Match each characteristic of the 1908 Messina earthquake with its impact:

High Magnitude = Caused widespread destruction and collapse of buildings in affected cities. Extended Duration = Lasted about forty seconds, amplifying damage to buildings. Subsequent Tsunami = Increased destruction and casualties along the coasts of the Strait. Geological Changes = Triggered land subsidence, coastal retreat, and landslides in the region. Signup and view all the answers

Match each term with its respective aspect of the 1908 Messina earthquake, according to scientific reports:

Seismic Waves = Methods of their propagation investigated by some of the greatest Earth science scholars. Geological Aspects = Analyzed in numerous works studying the earthquake. Engineering Field = Examined for the effects of the earthquake on infrastructure and constructions. Intensity Scale = Giuseppe Mercalli used it to classify the earthquake's effects, adding 'catastrophe' degree. Signup and view all the answers

Match each description with its respective type of source for information about the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Administrative Records = Conserved in state archives providing information on government actions and damage assessments. Reports from Mayors = Supplemented data collection efforts by Mario Baratta. Photographic Documentation = Documented the state of cities 'before' and 'after' the disaster. Cinematographic Footage = Depicted damages and emergency situations in the aftermath. Signup and view all the answers

Match each research area with its respective question for improved natural disaster preparedness in Italy:

Earthquake Research = Helps improving seismic hazard and vulnerability study maps. Dissemination of Results = Promotes the technical ability to defend against earthquakes. Individual Responsibility = We must be the first to worry about our safety. Safety Culture = Needs to be academically deep, popular, and belonging to the people. Signup and view all the answers

Match each consequence with its specific impact following the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Coastal Changes = Variations in the coastline and the retreat of beaches in multiple areas. Societal Changes = Heavy social repercussions compounded by damage to building heritage. Environmental Impacts = Major landscape upheavals, accelerated immersion of the coast, and displacements. Physical Damage = Widespread damage with collapses, especially devastating given previous seismic events. Signup and view all the answers

Match each element with its role in understanding the scientific analysis after the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Earth Science Scholars = Conducted investigations with hundreds of works that studied the seismic event. Giuseppe Mercalli = Classified locations with degrees of intensity on his macroseismic scale. Giovanni Platania = Studied the effects of the tsunami by visiting destroyed locations. Mario Baratta = Authored a comprehensive work on the earthquake with observations and data. Signup and view all the answers

Match each description with its corresponding type of source for reconstructing the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Institutional Documentation = Held in Messina and Reggio Calabria state archives. Central State Archive = Important source of information on the extensive report. Italian Photographic Society = Put together over six hundred photographs that documented before and after. Rare Cinematographic Footage = Documented extreme emergency situations in which the populations found themselves. Signup and view all the answers

Match each aspect with its potential impact on disaster preparedness stemming from reflections on past earthquakes like the 1908 Messina event:

Scientific Research = Helps improve seismic hazard studies and technical defense against earthquakes. Promoting Awareness = Focuses on reducing individual responsibility from delegating awareness of the risks. Building Safety = Should be a popular culture that belongs to the people. Learning from History = Keeps the memory of past events alive to enhance future strategies. Signup and view all the answers

Match each place with the consequences of the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Messina = The earthquake completely destroyed the urban fabric. Reggio Calabria = Suffered devastating destruction, extending from 70 to 100% of building. Gallico Marina = Beach lost ten meters in width. Pellaro = The coast retreated in some points by about fifty meters. Signup and view all the answers

Match each reason with the need of keeping the memory of these events alive:

Natural Events = Cause loss of life and economic resources. Disaster Preparedness = Helps improve seismic hazard and vulnerability study maps. Individual Responsibility = Worry about our safety. Safety Culture = Building a culture of safety that is popular. Signup and view all the answers

Match each task with its description related to state efforts after the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Safety of Unsafe Buildings = Efforts in the affected municipalities to protect structures. Construction of Barracks = To house the population with lack of homes. Construction of Public Offices = To provide a site for the remaining buildings of government. Provision of Support = Traces the final balance of activity by the government. Signup and view all the answers

Match each photographic contribution with its impact after the 1908 Messina earthquake:

Italian and Foreign Photographers = Many went to affected sites. Italian Photographic Society = Documented in a realistic and effective way the 'before' and 'after'. Contemporary Intention = Conceived transmit memory of the localities original appearance. Historical Value = Extraordinary tool for studying effects on towns and buildings. Signup and view all the answers

Match each description with its correct geological impact of the 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami:

Land Subsidence = Marked in Messina, Reggio Calabria and Villa San Giovanni. Coastal Variations = Found in numerous Calabrian localities. Coastal Retreat = At Pellaro by about fifty meters, at Gallico Marina, the beach lost ten meters in width. Slope Failures = Large area of Calabria and Sicily suffered landslides, mudslides, and landslides. Signup and view all the answers

Match each seismic event with its role about the disaster of 1908 Messina earthquake:

Earthquake of 1908 = It was one of the strongest in Italian seismic history. Earthquakes before 1908 = Damages overlapped in many cases as events of previous years had not had adequate repairs. Tsunami after earthquake = Aggravated the destruction of the earthquake in various locations causing other victims. Structural weakness = The disaster was caused not only by the great violence of the earthquake but also the buildings did not guarantee safety. Signup and view all the answers

Match each wave with its impact on the coasts of the Strait of Messina during 1908 Tsunami:

Eastern coast of Sicily = Height reached by the waves was between six and nine and a half meters. Town of Sant'Alessio Siculo = Achieved extreme point of over eleven meters. Area from Gallico Marina to Lazzaro = The tsunami was more serious. South of the town of Pellaro = Reached maximum height of about thirteen meters. Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

1908 Messina Earthquake

A devastating earthquake struck the shores of the Strait of Messina. It had a magnitude of 7.1 and lasted about forty seconds, causing widespread destruction and loss of life in Reggio Calabria and Messina.

Messina's Destruction

The earthquake completely destroyed the urban fabric in Messina. Homes, civil and ecclesiastical public buildings, infrastructures were impacted.

Building Weakness

Structural weakness of buildings in both major cities and rural villages contributed to the disaster.

Post-Earthquake Tsunami

A tsunami struck both coasts of the Strait of Messina, aggravating the destruction of the earthquake and causing additional casualties.