Ground effects during the 9 September 1998, Mw = 5.6, Lauria earthquake and the seismic potential of the "aseismic" Pollino region in Southern Italy

On 9 September 1998, at 13:28 local time (11:28 UTC), a moderate earthquake of Mw = 5.6 struck the Southern Apennines at the northwest margin of the Pallino Massif (the highest mountain range of the region, reaching elevations above 2,000 m a.s.l.; Figures 1 and 2). The macroseismic epicenter is located about 3 km southeast of Lauria, with a maximum intensity of VIII on the MCS scale (or MM or MSK; see below for a correlation among macroseismic scales); thus we refer to this event as the Lauria earthquake. Historical towns-such as Lagonegro, Lauria, and Castelluccio-suffered significant damage, in particular that of Rivello, which is a remarkable local artistic site.