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World Organization of Observatories response L'Aquila verdict
Dear Colleagues,
As you may know
IAVCEI through
its president Prof. Ray Cas provided a response to the
convictions of the
scientists and administrator working for Italian National Risks
Commission who
were charged with criminal negligence after the major earthquake
that struck
and destroyed the town of l’Aquila in central Italy, and
tragically killed over
300 people, on April 6, 2009.
We the three
co-chairs of the
World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) would like to
also provide a
response to the judgment. WOVO in its role as an organization of
and for
volcano observatories of the world believe that observatories
should continue
to provide advice on likely future eruption scenarios. As IAVCEI
point out, ‘The
prediction of
timing, magnitude and impact of all natural hazards and
assessment of the risks
involved is extraordinarily difficult’.
Each
country and observatory has its own framework for science advice
to
decision makers and the public. The aim of volcanic advisories
and notices on
changes in volcanic activity is to provide the authorities and
the public with
the most up-to-date and accurate information on the volcanoes
behavior.
So finally we, as
co-chairs of
WOVO, would like to second the comments made by Prof Cas on
behalf of IAVCEI
and state that volcano observatories around the world continue
to provide assessments
on changes in volcanic activity and continue communication to
the public and
decision makers.
It’s
all about making the world a
safer place for us all.
Yours,
Peter Webley,
Susanna Falsaperla
and Gill Jolly (WOVO, http://www.wovo.org/)