Earthquake in Italy

Italy, in 2009, experienced a devastating earthquake that killed over 300 people and left many homeless. They had to sleep in tent camps for months afterwards. In 2011, about scientists were accused of not fully or accurately warning the people nearby of the danger of the potential earthquake. Residents and people who lost their loved ones in the mess claim that the scientists should go to jail for “taking their job lightly”. Scientists around the world and other seismologists say that it is totally unfair what they are being accused of. The tremors that the scientists picked up were warning signs that an earthquake COULD happen but in this area, nothing is exact. Even the best scientists can’t predict exactly how devastating an earthquake will be if or when it comes. Scientists claim “the trial is ridiculous.” If they had released all of the information they knew and told people there was a possibility of an earthquake, it would have created panic. If they released information about every tremor, there would be chaos.

 I understand where residents and people who have lost loved ones would feel that someone is to blame because they clearly had some warning signs that they failed to inform people about. But, first of all, I would believe the scientists. Maybe not so much if just the scientists accused were saying there was no definite way to know but really, other seismologists agree. Second, I’m in geology right now and we just got done with a unit about earthquakes and volcanoes. I agree with the scientists on their position that they really didn’t know. Tremors happen more often than not. the earth is always shifting and changing. Yes, some signs give more information about future quakes than others but scientists can’t predict everything that’s going to happen, they only get ideas because history may or may not repeat it’s-self.