The 2009 L’Aquila earthquake victims were found to be partially responsible for their ‘own deaths,’ according to a ruling by an Italian court. The court ruled that the victim’s relatives should get less money in compensation, according to media sources. After months of tremors in central Italy’s rocky Abruzzo area, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake of that size occurred at 3:32 am local time on April 6. The news agency AFP claimed that 309 people perished as houses fell in the ancient district of L’Aquila.
The victims had returned to bed despite two earthquakes earlier in the night, the judge in a civil claim for millions of euros in damages ruled, according to the news agency. The suit was brought by the relatives of 24 individuals who died in one of the buildings. According to the judge, who was quoted by AFP and the Italian publication Messaggero daily, their ‘rash behaviour’ made them ’30 percent liable’ for their deaths.
Meanwhile, Ilaria Rambaldi’s mother, Maria Grazia Piccinini, a lawyer, called the decision ‘absurd’ in light of the fact that scientists downplayed the likelihood of a fatal earthquake. Ilaria was a 25-year-old student. According to the news agency, Piccinini told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that they will be appealing the decision and said that ‘my daughter was reassured, just like everyone else’.
In relation to recommendations made to locals prior to the tragedy, seven members of Italy’s Major Risks Prevention Commission were first found guilty; however, all but one of those convictions were eventually reversed. 1,600 people were hurt and at least 80,000 people were rendered homeless as a result of the earthquake, which devastated L’Aquila’s exquisite mediaeval, Renaissance, and Baroque squares and structures to ruins.
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