Central Italy has been hit by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake.
So far, there are 247 reported deaths, and 150+ missing people.
- Rescuers are still searching for more survivors, and many volunteers worked through the night, digging through rubble with their bare hands to save people.
- Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said that, “no family, no city, no hamlet will be left alone.”
“Half the town no longer exists,” said Sergio Pirozzi, the mayor of Amatrice, Italy https://t.co/gnZU5dFyf7 pic.twitter.com/xRqwDu88ZJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 24, 2016
- The earthquake happened at 03:36am local time, when most people were sleeping.
- Many had to rush outside in their sleepwear with none of their possessions.
Moving photos from the disastrous earthquake in Italy https://t.co/r7KaYSJMrs (Filippo Monteforte, AFP/Getty Images) pic.twitter.com/qdH9Wo6inV
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) August 24, 2016
- The epicenter was about 65 miles north east of the capital, Rome.
A strong earthquake that hit central Italy just turned 3 towns into rubble https://t.co/8v41sue0wR pic.twitter.com/ZpFqNE8nKs
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) August 24, 2016
- Near the epicenter, a large portion of the dead were in the town of Accumoli, and Amatrice where the town was mostly reduced to rubble.
- The mayor of Arquata del Tronto said his “village isn’t there any more. Almost all the houses in Pescara del Tronto have collapsed.”
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella said this earthquake was “a moment of grief and of appeal to shared responsibility.”
Photo Credit: USGS