http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/27428 On April 6th 2009, at 3.32 am, the city and surroundings of l'Aquila were shaken by a violent earthquake, causing the death of more than 300 people, destroying most of the older and more modern buildings, including part of the central hospital and a students' house where eight perished. Investigations soon showed that these went down mainly because of poor construction quality, lack of earthquake proof materials and prevention systems. Following the disaster, the government started massive emergency operations to bring relief to survivors: half of them stayed in the city, living in tents. Around 30.000 were lodged on the coast, in touristic hotels that were opened to this purpose. In one of these hotels I met Serenella, a teacher, her husband Enzo, a physician and their daughter Irene. They had lost some very close friends in the disaster and had to leave their home. By the end of 2009, in an impressively quick and massive effort, that recently raised heavy corruption suspects and lack of transparency in the designing process construction companies, the government had built new towns around l'Aquila for approximately 25% of the population, the rest having found other solutions. Very few even returned to their former homes. The old city center remained off-limits, to prevent access to population. When they received the news that their former building had to be torn down and rebuilt, thus losing the very tiny hope they had to go back home soon, Serenella and her family temporarily rented a new house in Tornimparte, not far from l'Aquila. At the beginning of 2010 she got back to work in a newly constructed school: she and her husband were lucky enough to still have one, as many people lost not only relatives, friends, homes, but also their jobs, making their economic situation even more difficult. Almost a year after the earthquake, at the end of the winter, sunday after sunday, people in l'Aquila started forcing barrages, entering the city center to reclaim their city. They started digging with their own hands to remove debris, thus accusing the government of not doing enough to reconstruct the old town in which they lived. With these pictures I tried to account how things are set during this first year, now that the lights have mainly turned down, how ruins can live together with brand new buildings, how justice for the victims still seems far away, and how pain and hope slowly merged, day after day, with a strange feeling of stupefied semi-temporary infiniteness that seems to pervade everyone's life, together with the firm will to stay that people from l'Aquila demonstrated, despite difficulties, to rebuild their own future. In September 2010, Serenella and Enzo have bought a field in Tornimparte where they will soon start building the place they will call home for the years being. Many pains, injuries and losses will probably never fade, but the future can be hoped again. http://www.lightstalkers.org en-us http://images.lightstalkers.org/avatars/40748/Hulk_s_Toys-24_small.jpg http://www.lightstalkers.org/Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117326/Earthquake_hotel_1-1_small.jpg' /><br />April 6th 2010 - Archive TV recordings of the first days after the earthquake, one year before.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117326'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117326 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117326 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117326/Earthquake_hotel_1-1_small.jpg' /><br />April 6th 2010 - Archive TV recordings of the first days after the earthquake, one year before.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117326'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117329/Earthquake_hotel_1-2_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - Irene Ottaviano, Serenella's daughter. In the earthquake hotel, by the coast, pretending to be early tourists.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117329'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117329 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117329 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117329/Earthquake_hotel_1-2_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - Irene Ottaviano, Serenella's daughter. In the earthquake hotel, by the coast, pretending to be early tourists.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117329'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117332/Earthquake_hotel_1-3_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009. In the earthquake hotel, days are very long to pass, as future is very uncertain.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117332'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117332 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117332 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117332/Earthquake_hotel_1-3_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009. In the earthquake hotel, days are very long to pass, as future is very uncertain.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117332'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117335/Earthquake_hotel_1-4_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - In the earthquake hotel, pretending to be tourists.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117335'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117335 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117335 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117335/Earthquake_hotel_1-4_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - In the earthquake hotel, pretending to be tourists.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117335'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117338/Earthquake_hotel_1-5_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Enzo, her husband.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117338'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117338 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117338 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117338/Earthquake_hotel_1-5_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Enzo, her husband.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117338'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117422/Earthquake_hotel_1-28_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009. Another earthquake hotel, by the coast near l'Aquila, in the small touristic town of Silvi Marina.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117422'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117422 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:09:35 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117422 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117422/Earthquake_hotel_1-28_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009. Another earthquake hotel, by the coast near l'Aquila, in the small touristic town of Silvi Marina.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117422'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117341/Earthquake_hotel_1-6_small.jpg' /><br />June 2009 - Serenella in one of her almost daily trips to l'Aquila from the coast.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117341'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117341 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:03:42 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117341 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117341/Earthquake_hotel_1-6_small.jpg' /><br />June 2009 - Serenella in one of her almost daily trips to l'Aquila from the coast.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117341'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117344/Earthquake_hotel_1-7_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - A strange feeling of displacement and abandon pervaded people staying in hotels, where external signs of the earthquake were invisible<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117344'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117344 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:11:13 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117344 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117344/Earthquake_hotel_1-7_small.jpg' /><br />May 2009 - A strange feeling of displacement and abandon pervaded people staying in hotels, where external signs of the earthquake were invisible<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117344'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117347/Earthquake_hotel_1-8_small.jpg' /><br />June 2009 - Caravans are used to live as close as possible to former homes.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117347'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117347 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:12:20 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117347 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117347/Earthquake_hotel_1-8_small.jpg' /><br />June 2009 - Caravans are used to live as close as possible to former homes.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117347'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117350/Earthquake_hotel_1-9_small.jpg' /><br />September 2009 - People living in tents are worried about the incoming winter, particularly cold in l Aquila.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117350'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117350 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:13:51 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117350 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117350/Earthquake_hotel_1-9_small.jpg' /><br />September 2009 - People living in tents are worried about the incoming winter, particularly cold in l Aquila.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117350'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117353/Earthquake_hotel_1-10_small.jpg' /><br />Onna, a small town in the outskirts of l'Aquila, was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Here, the remainders of a kitchen.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117353'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117353 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:14:46 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117353 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117353/Earthquake_hotel_1-10_small.jpg' /><br />Onna, a small town in the outskirts of l'Aquila, was completely destroyed by the earthquake. Here, the remainders of a kitchen.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117353'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117875/Earthquake_hotel_1-29_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - A protest against local authorities.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117875'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117875 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117875 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117875/Earthquake_hotel_1-29_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - A protest against local authorities.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117875'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117356/Earthquake_hotel_1-11_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. One of the many buildings still in place, officially declared unsafe, where people cannot return.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117356'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117356 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117356 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117356/Earthquake_hotel_1-11_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. One of the many buildings still in place, officially declared unsafe, where people cannot return.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117356'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117359/Earthquake_hotel_1-12_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and her family found a new house to rent, she and her husband got back to work and their daughter to school, life went to a temporary normality, but a deep sense of frustration and uncertainty is still very present.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117359'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117359 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117359 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117359/Earthquake_hotel_1-12_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and her family found a new house to rent, she and her husband got back to work and their daughter to school, life went to a temporary normality, but a deep sense of frustration and uncertainty is still very present.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117359'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117362/Earthquake_hotel_1-13_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. September 2009. The building of a new town, outside the city center. Construction went on 24 hours a day, but many protested on workers' conditions, lack of transparency and exclusion from the central government of local administration on strategic urbanistical decisions.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117362'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117362 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117362 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117362/Earthquake_hotel_1-13_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. September 2009. The building of a new town, outside the city center. Construction went on 24 hours a day, but many protested on workers' conditions, lack of transparency and exclusion from the central government of local administration on strategic urbanistical decisions.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117362'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117365/Earthquake_hotel_1-14_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila, January 2010. Serenella went back teaching when schools reopened officially in october 2009, but full courses could start only on the new year. In one of her classes, a young girl perished during the earthquake.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117365'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117365 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117365 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117365/Earthquake_hotel_1-14_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila, January 2010. Serenella went back teaching when schools reopened officially in october 2009, but full courses could start only on the new year. In one of her classes, a young girl perished during the earthquake.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117365'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117371/Earthquake_hotel_1-15_small.jpg' /><br />Tornimparte (L'Aquila). September 2009. During the summer, Serenella and her family finally decided to privately find an accomodation, and they rented an apartment in a small village not far from the city. Future is still very uncertain.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117371'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117371 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117371 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117371/Earthquake_hotel_1-15_small.jpg' /><br />Tornimparte (L'Aquila). September 2009. During the summer, Serenella and her family finally decided to privately find an accomodation, and they rented an apartment in a small village not far from the city. Future is still very uncertain.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117371'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117374/Earthquake_hotel_1-16_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Irene.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117374'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117374 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117374 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117374/Earthquake_hotel_1-16_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Irene.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117374'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117380/Earthquake_hotel_1-17_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Enzo, near Tornimparte.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117380'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117380 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117380 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117380/Earthquake_hotel_1-17_small.jpg' /><br />Serenella and Enzo, near Tornimparte.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117380'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117383/Earthquake_hotel_1-18_small.jpg' /><br />February 2010 - Irene with one of her schoolmate meet in an abandoned park in l'Aquila.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117383'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117383 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117383 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117383/Earthquake_hotel_1-18_small.jpg' /><br />February 2010 - Irene with one of her schoolmate meet in an abandoned park in l'Aquila.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117383'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117386/Earthquake_hotel_1-19_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - Untitled.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117386'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117386 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117386 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117386/Earthquake_hotel_1-19_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - Untitled.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117386'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117389/Earthquake_hotel_1-20_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. One year after the earthquake, the city center seen on a sunday, when people work to remove debris.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117389'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117389 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117389 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117389/Earthquake_hotel_1-20_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. One year after the earthquake, the city center seen on a sunday, when people work to remove debris.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117389'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117392/Earthquake_hotel_1-21_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. One year after the earthquake, the ciy center seen on sunday.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117392'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117392 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117392 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117392/Earthquake_hotel_1-21_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. One year after the earthquake, the ciy center seen on sunday.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117392'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117395/Earthquake_hotel_1-22_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. On Sunday, people try to make the city center alive.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117395'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117395 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117395 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117395/Earthquake_hotel_1-22_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - L'Aquila. On Sunday, people try to make the city center alive.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117395'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117398/Earthquake_hotel_1-23_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. The city is full of empty apartments in buildings externally almost undamaged, where people cannot return. Here, Serenella is looking at her former house before it is finally closed for an uncertain reconstruction.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117398'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117398 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117398 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117398/Earthquake_hotel_1-23_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila. The city is full of empty apartments in buildings externally almost undamaged, where people cannot return. Here, Serenella is looking at her former house before it is finally closed for an uncertain reconstruction.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117398'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117401/Earthquake_hotel_1-24_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - Serenella found a book she has been looking for weeks in her former house, still in place, where she cannot return to live.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117401'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117401 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117401 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117401/Earthquake_hotel_1-24_small.jpg' /><br />April 2010 - Serenella found a book she has been looking for weeks in her former house, still in place, where she cannot return to live.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117401'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117407/Earthquake_hotel_1-25_small.jpg' /><br />September 2010. Serenella and Enzo toast to the small field in Tornimparte they just bought, where they will start building a new wooden house.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117407'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117407 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117407 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117407/Earthquake_hotel_1-25_small.jpg' /><br />September 2010. Serenella and Enzo toast to the small field in Tornimparte they just bought, where they will start building a new wooden house.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117407'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117410/Earthquake_hotel_1-26_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - This building has soon become an icon, as future remains full of uncertainty.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117410'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117410 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117410 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117410/Earthquake_hotel_1-26_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - This building has soon become an icon, as future remains full of uncertainty.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117410'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117413/Earthquake_hotel_1-27_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - Untitled.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117413'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117413 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 18:52:58 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117413 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/1117413/Earthquake_hotel_1-27_small.jpg' /><br />L'Aquila - Untitled.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/1117413'>view full-size image</a> Tommaso Barsali