The Italian city heavily damaged by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 2009 was L'Aquila.
The earthquake struck central Italy's Abruzzo region at 03:32 local time on April 6, 2009. Its epicenter was near L'Aquila, the regional capital, and the relatively shallow event caused severe shaking in the city and surrounding villages. The earthquake measured 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, although some reports gave lower figures using local or Richter-scale estimates.
Damage affected thousands of buildings, including historic structures in L'Aquila's medieval center. The disaster killed 308 people, injured roughly 1,500, and left more than 66,000 people homeless. The city's setting on the sediments of an ancient lake helped amplify seismic waves in some areas.
L'Aquila has experienced destructive earthquakes repeatedly, including major events in 1461 and 1703. The 2009 earthquake was also preceded by a prolonged period of seismic activity, including numerous smaller shocks beginning in late 2008. The nearby Italian capital, Rome, felt the earthquake, but L'Aquila and nearby communities suffered the greatest damage.