VZCZCXRO7829
PP RUEHFL RUEHNP
DE RUEHRO #0507/01 1261506
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061506Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2029
INFO RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 3613
RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 0025
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 3802
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000507 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E: NELSON 
NSC: FROMAN, HENNESSEY-NILAND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CASC IT
SUBJECT: VIEWS OF ABRUZZO EARTHQUAKE ZONE; POTENTIAL IMPACT 
ON G8 
 
REF: A. ROME 428 
     ¶B. ROME 402 
     ¶C. ROME 392 
     ¶D. ROME 302 
     ¶E. STATE 33560 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: In order to gauge progress in earthquake 
relief and reconstruction, particularly as to how conditions 
on the ground may impact planned G8 events near the 
epicenter, Embassy recently met with the Italian official in 
charge of earthquake relief and reconstruction, as well as 
with U.S. earthquake specialists representing a well-known 
California NGO who had just completed a site survey. Civil 
Protection Director Guido Bertolaso and his team told Charge 
April 29 that about one-third of all structures in the impact 
area have been inspected for safety.  About 65,000 persons 
are currently displaced.  Charge, Management MinCouns and 
other U.S. staff also had the opportunity to view the entire 
town of l'Aquilla, the provincial capital of Abruzzo and now 
the main venue for the G8 Summit. The expansive Guardia di 
Finanza complex, which has been identified as the site for G8 
events, appears to have ample space and undamaged facilities. 
U.S.representatives from Earthquake Engineers Research 
Institution (EERI) separately briefed Emboffs.  They praised 
Italian authorities for their careful and methodical 
inspection of housing and infrastructure.  Significantly, 
they reported that the main hospital only a few blocks from 
the G8 site sustained damage and remains closed.  The town of 
l'Aquila proper still lacks electricity or gas, though the 
Italian base of operations at the Guardia di Finanza 
headquarters -- where the G8 will likely be held -- has 
uninterrupted power. Aftershocks are continuing, though 
diminishing in magnitude.  End Summary. 
 
 
Praise for Civil Protection 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On 24 April, Chair of the University of 
California-Berkeley Architecture Department Mary Comiero, 
structural  and geotechnical engineer Marko Schotanus, and 
Architectural Conservator Mersedeh Jorjani of the Earthquake 
Engineers Research Institution briefed Embassy Rome State 
Department and Secret Service officials.  During the week of 
20-25 April, a team of nine EERI experts in geosciences, 
architecture, and structural engineering had surveyed the 
area in and around l'Aquila, at the invitation of the Italian 
government.  L'Aquila was the epicenter of an earthquake on 5 
April, and it is where the GOI intends to host the G8 summit 
in early July.  The experts were very positive about the work 
of Italian government officials involved with disaster 
assistance and reconstruction. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The EERI group praised the work of the Italian 
Department of Civil Protection, saying that in their 
collective view, based on experience with numerous 
earthquakes in Italy, California, and elsewhere, the GOI was 
well-organized, knowledgeable, and proceeding cautiously in 
certifying buildings and infrastructure as safe.  The EERI 
team said that access to affected areas has been tightly 
controlled to prevent looting and to maintain physical 
safety.  Unlike past practice, Mr. Schonatus said that the 
GOI was inspecting each structure individually before judging 
it safe.  According to updated official numbers provided to 
Charge on her April 29 visit to the epicenter, 17,000 of 
45,000 structures in the quake zone have been inspected.  Of 
these, 50 percent have been determined to be habitable. 
However, these numbers do not rpt not include the historic 
medieval center of l'Aquilla which sustained a 
proportionately larger share of damage.  There are currently 
approximately 65,000 residents displaced -- 30,000 in hotels 
and another 35,000 in tents.  In the opinion of our sources, 
15,000 to 20,000 persons are likely to be displaced for a 
period greater than two months. The Charge's team was told 
that plans are underway to construct temporary housing for 
these individuals until they are able to rebuild for 
themselves. 
 
Problems with the G8 
- - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Civil Protection Director Bertolaso told Charge 
 
ROME 00000507  002 OF 002 
 
 
that the very large Guardia di Finanza site (45 hectares in 
all) would offer ample space for both Summit and 
reconstruction activities.  In the opinion of the EERI 
experts, the decision to move the G8 to l'Aquila will likely 
complicate earthquake reconstruction efforts and could, 
however, pose serious logistical challenges.  The arrival of 
thousands of officials and press in July could further 
complicate reconstruction efforts.  Traffic jams are already 
common and the EERI team noted that there is only a single 
road in and out of the proposed summit site.  Although the 
citizens of one region welcomed the GOI's decision to move 
the Summit, seeing it as offering visibility to the damaged 
town, the team warned that the mood of displaced people could 
become significantly more negative over the coming months. 
Comiero explained that following a major earthquake, 
displaced people typically feel shock, but that shock gives 
way to anger once they realize they may be living in tents 
for over a year.  She believed that the people of l'Aquila 
are still in the shock phase now, but that they might be 
angrier by July, particularly if the pace of reconstruction 
were to slow. 
 
Infrastructure and Aftershocks 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The EERI experts said that the infrastructure in 
and around l'Aquila was in generally good condition.  An 
elevated highway between Rome and L'Aquila had been only 
lightly damaged, as it had been built with anti-seismic 
technology.  EERI estimated that twenty-five percent of the 
buildings in and around l'Aquila sustained significant damage 
and are not repairable.  The electricity and gas grids remain 
shut down for the city, but the Guardia di Finanza building 
in which the GOI is organizing its reconstruction efforts 
enjoys uninterrupted access to power.  While the main 
hospital only a few blocks from the site of the G8 sustained 
significant damage to its emergency room and remains closed, 
a military-style field hospital has been set up in an 
adjacent parking lot.  According to the EERI team aftershocks 
have continued in the region since the earthquake, but they 
have generally been dimishing in magnitude. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment: (SBU) The information post secured from 
the visiting U.S. earthquake team should be put in 
appropriate context.  First, we do not yet know the size of 
the "G8 footprint" that will descend on the earthquake 
epicenter at l'Aquila. Indications are that a reduced set of 
proceedings will occur at that location, although we will be 
in a better position to judge this when we visit the site 
with the pre-advance team later in the week.  Second, the 
Italian government is well aware of the conditions detailed 
by our team and will be energetic in putting infrastructure 
deficiencies to rights.  Finally, we have good contacts 
within both the government and NGO community working at site. 
End Comment. 
 
DIBBLE