Earthquake in Italy’s Ischia kills two, as strife over illegally built houses rages
Twenty per cent of new Italian houses were built illegally in 2015, according to statistics bureau Istat, up from 9% in 2008
Rome — A small but deadly earthquake on the Italian holiday island of Ischia exposed a deep political fault line on Tuesday over the country’s proliferation of unsafe, illegal housing. The tremor, officially recorded in Italy at a modest strength of 4.0, toppled buildings, killed two people and injured dozens in a district where seven years ago residents rioted to prevent bulldozers from razing illegally built homes. "It’s ridiculous that people should die in an earthquake of this strength," said Francesco Peduto, president of Italy’s national association of geologists. "In other advanced countries a quake like this would do no damage at all." Twenty per cent of new Italian houses were built illegally in 2015, according to the statistics bureau Istat, up from 9% in 2008. In four southern regions — including Sicily and Campania, where Ischia lies — the proportion stood at well over one-third two years ago. The legal status of the buildings that came down on Monday night was unclear. ...
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