Desperate search for survivors after ‘apocalyptic’ 6.2 quake flattens towns in central Italy killing at least 159 people and leaving 368 injured
RESCUERS are desperately hunting for survivors of an “apocalyptic” 6.2 magnitude earthquake that killed at least 159 in Italy.
Hundreds more are believed to be killed or trapped within the rubble as emergency services battle to free them.
An eight-month-old baby, his nine year-old brother and their parents are feared to have been among the dead after being buried by rubble as they slept in the village of Accumoli.
Dozens of buildings collapsed in the town of Amatrice – near the popular tourist city of Perugia – trapping scores of locals in the debris.
At least 159 are confirmed dead and a further 368 injured following the 6.2 magnitude tremor, the head of Italy’s civil protection agency, Fabrizio Curcio, said late Wednesday.
One of the first victims named was 18-month-old baby Marisol Piermarini, who was killed as she slept in her cot.
She was on holiday in the town with her parents. Both are severely injured.
Grandfather Massimo Piermarini, who tried to save the family, said: “They did not want me to go in because it was all in danger, but I said that I did not care at all, I had to go looking for them, but unfortunately for the girl there was nothing to do.”
Eighty-six of those killed were in the towns of Amarice and Accumoli, while a further 34 were killed in Le Marche province.
Several other surrounding towns and villages were virtually wiped off the map.
One tourist visiting the scene likened it to the vision of hell as imagined by Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Agostina Severo said: “We came out to the piazza, and it looked like ‘Dante’s Inferno’. People crying for help, help. Rescue workers arrived after one hour… one and a half hours.”
Rescuers have reported hearing the voices of those trapped beneath the rubble as the local mayor declared: “My town isn’t here anymore.”
One witness said they heard kids screaming from beneath the rubble as desperate rescuers dug them out with their bare hands.
Emiliano Grillotti said: “I can hear one of the children screaming.”
The quake was so strong it could be felt in Rome – 100 miles away – and even as far as Croatia.
Buildings in the Italian capital shook for 20 seconds, according to La Repubblica.
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The epicentre was in the Umbrian town of Norcia with the town of Accumoli also badly affected.
More than 100 people remain unaccounted for in the village of Arquata del Tronto.
Its mayor Aleandro Petrucci 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.”
Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi told RAI: “Three quarters of the town is not there anymore.
“The aim now is to save as many lives as possible. There are voices under the rubble, we have to save the people there.”
Brit Tourists reported feeling the tremors as far as Rome, with a number taking to Twitter to voice their concerns.
Sarah Conrad said: “Pretty sure I was just woken up by an earthquake in Rome.
“I thought someone snuck into my hotel room & was jumping on the bed. Both scary!”
Paul O’Halloran, also in Rome, added: “Just got woke up by an earthquake! Bed and window shutters moving!”
Brit Emma Tucker, who was in the area at the time, said: “It was pitch dark, very cold. Nobody in our group had a clue what to do in an earthquake.”
Renata Moriono told the : “I am on holiday in my home village in the Marche region, a few kilometres away from Amatrice and the epicentre. I felt a very strong shaking at about 3am … It went on for ages – then again about 1/2 hour or 45 min later. It was like 1997. Terrifying.”
It is thought the epicentre of the quake was about 4km beneath Accumoli (Rieti), which is now almost inaccessible.
Why is Italy hit by so many deadly earthquakes?
Italy is one of the most seismically active countries in Europe and has seen many devastating earthquakes.
This morning’s quake in Amatrice has killed dozens and left hundreds trapped under rubble in the devastated village.
Earthquakes result from weaknesses in the earth’s crust, such as those that run all the way up the spine of Italy.
When these weaknesses fracture they trigger earthquakes.
Italy sits on the meeting point of the Eurasian Plate and African Plate, giant rock structures which make up part of the earth’s shell.
The Alps mountain range is formed where these two plates push together, which they are still doing at a rate of 3cm a year.
Minor tremors are common in the country, but events such as today’s magnitude 6.2 quake remain relatively rare.
The last major earthquake to hit the country was in 2012. The magnitude 6 quake in Medolla killed 20 people.
In 2009 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the medieval city of L’Aquila killing close to 300 people.
The site of the 2009 quake is just an hour’s drive from today’s earthquake, in one of the most seismically active regions of the country.
The 2009 quake is believed to have been caused by huge rock faces jerking away from each other.
There have been 18 recorded earthquakes in Italy in the last decade, ranging from magnitude 4.6 to magnitude 6.3.
One of the most devastating was in 1908 when the Sicilian town of Messina was destroyed. Estimates suggest this quake could have killed up to 100,000 people.
Local media suggests it struck at around 3.30am.
The first victims emerged as an elderly couple in Pescara del Tronto, in the Marche region, ten miles from the epicentre.
A family of four were also reportedly dead in Accumoli – four miles from the source of the quake, which struck at 3.30am local time.
Tremors also destroyed homes in Amatrice, where dozens more are feared dead.
The town’s mayor Sergio Pirozzi said: “Half the town is gone.”
He added: “There are people under the rubble… There’s been a landslide and a bridge might collapse.”
Pope Francis cleared his schedule to lead pilgrims in prayer for the victims.
The pontiff expressed his shock and pain as he addressed the St Peter’s Square crowd with a rosary bead in his hand.
Tommaso della Longa, a spokesman for the Red Cross, said a grim scene is emerging from Amatrice this morning.
He said: “The picture we got from our delegate in Amatrice are telling us a terrible story of a small city almost completely destroyed,” he said.
“The situation is difficult at the moment.
“There are small houses in the middle of the valley that are completely alone and they need help. It’ll take some time to reach them.”
He added finding survivors is a priority.
Local eyewitness Lina Mercantini of Ceselli in Umbria, told Reuters news agency: “It was so strong. It seemed the bed was walking across the room by itself with us on it.”
The British Foreign Office updated its advice for anyone stuck in the affected area.
It said on its website: “An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck Central Italy during the early hours of 24 August. The earthquake was also felt in Rome.
“If you are in the affected area, you should follow the advice of the local authorities. If you are in Italy, Civil Protection have activated a hotline 800840840 for information.
“To learn more about what to do before, during, and after an earthquake visit the .”
Data from previous quakes suggest the damage could be significant, according to the USGS.
In 2009, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in the Aquila region, which was also felt in the Italian capital, left more than 300 dead.
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