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Earthquake/ItalyBack
[Published: Wednesday August 24 2016]

Earthquake destroys Italian town leaving 21 dead

Rome 24 Aug (ANA) - A massive earthquake with a 6.4 magnitude has rocked Italy, flattening homes, destroying towns and killing at least 21 people. The huge quake, felt as far away as Rome, has reduced the town of Amatrice to "rubble" and badly damaged nearby towns of Norcia and Accumoli, leaving villagers trapped under the crumbled buildings. So far, 21 people have been confirmed dead, 11 of them in the Lazio region which includes six in Accumoli and five in Amatrice , and 10 in the Marche region in the city of Pescara del Tronto. However, officials have said they expect the death toll to rise. Many are trapped in Arquata del Tronto, according to local news agencies, and the army and heavy equipment, including tanks and helicopters, are being mobilised to rescue the stricken villagers.
Mayor of Amatrice, Sergio Pirozzi, called the intense tremor a "tragedy", saying: "Four people are under the rubble, but they are not showing any sign of life. Two parents and two children." The mayor now claims the town is completely cut off from rescue services after a massive landslide has badly damaged the surrounding transport links. The town's hospital has also collapsed. He said: "There has been a landslide on one road and the other connects us through a bridge that is about to collapse. People are gathering in sports centres. We don't have any power. "The aim now is to save as many lives as possible. There are voices under the rubble, we have to save the people there. In the nearby town of Arquata, the mayor says "all the houses have collapsed". He said: "It's a disaster. We are trying to evacuate the village and move them to a sports field. I've just arrived and I feel like crying. I've never seen such an apocalyptic scene except for the L'Aquila earthquake on television." (ANA)
FA/ANA/23 August 2016---------
 

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