Preliminary Investigation of the Molise (Italy) Earthquakes of 31 October and 1 November 2002

On 31 October and 1 November 2002, two earthquakes took place in the Italian region of Molise. 29 deaths were reported, while many buildings collapsed or suffered major damage. The tectonics of the earthquakes and historic seismicity of the area are briefly described. The distribution of damage and macroseismic intensity are confronted with the current seismic zonation of the region. In particular, the paper deals with the damage suffered by different types of structures, namely masonry and RC buildings and historical churches. The observed damage is mainly attributed to the poor quality of the materials and execution of construction, lack of maintenance and protective devices (e.g., steel ties), as well as to structural interventions. Reference is made to the management of the post-earthquake emergency. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.