Built thousands of years ago and high up on an Italian mountainside , there lies a small town that has largely been forgotten about. That town is Fossa and it is often referred to as “the town that disappeared overnight.”
Imagine an entire city, neglected and completely abandoned, and void of people for over 13 years! For us urban Explorers living halfway across the world, documenting and exploring this city was most certainly a real once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately, it was also a real once in a lifetime nightmare for the people that lived in this small quaint city In central Italy.
And this is exactly what happened in that city. While the people of Fossa Italy were deep in their sleep at 3:32 am on April 6, 2009 a tragic and devastating event unfolded around them - suddenly awakening everyone throughout the entire region!
Residents talked about how they where all awakened by their homes violently shaking, as well as ear piercing sounds of powerful booms and blasts, intense rumbles, crashing vehicles, collapsing buildings, shattered windows, crumbling structures, twisting metal, and blood curdling screams from those injured and even those dying. Amidst the shanking buildings, piles of rubble, mass confusion and still dark skies, the residents of fossa would soon learn that a massive earthquake shook central Italy to its core.
The monster of an earthquake clocked a 5.9 on the Richter scale and did millions of dollars of damage to the city’s infrastructure; such as the roads railways bridges tunnels water supply sewer electricity and telephones. In addition to the city’s infrastructure, thousands of homes and businesses were left barely recognizable and dangerously uninhabitable. Nearly half of The 20,000 residents of Fossa were now left homeless with nowhere to go.
This horrific event would become known as the 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake. The earthquake would also become One of Italy’s deadliest acts caused by none other than Mother Nature herself.
Although the Italian region of Abruzzo is no stranger to earthquakes, the 2009 Laquita Earthquake was one of the largest, most costly, and most deadly earthquakes in the countries history with an estimated $16 billion in damages, leaving 70,000 residents homeless, and a final death toll of 308 people. furthermore it injured approximately another 1,500 people and left over 70,000 people homeless throughout the entire region.
As of 2022, renovations and restoration throughout the City of Fossa is underway. Many do the abandoned buildings that have sat neglected for over 13 years, are getting much needed attention and care. Although it may take several years to complete the rebuilding of Fossa, we are certainly happy to see such progress after such a tragic event. In conclusion, we want to keep the people that were affected by the 2009 Laquila earthquake in our hearts and in our prayers.