Construction crews worked through the rain in Italy’s natural disaster zone to build a tent complex to host a state funeral Tuesday, as prosecutors took preliminary measures to sequester buildings that crumbled despite being renovated with public anti-seismic funds.
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“Earthquakes don’t kill. What kills the most is the work of man”, Rieti Bishop Domenico Pompili told the weeping crowds gathered in the shadow of Amatrice’s ruins for the funeral for some of the 292 victims. Another 50 people were killed in neighboring Le Marche region where a state funeral was held over the weekend.
“You may be able to rebuild the town, but you can’t bring back the lives that were lost”, said Giuseppina Sorrentino, a native of Amatrice, tears streaming down her face.
Amatrice residents had threatened to boycott Tuesday’s funeral service, as it was originally scheduled to be held at an airport hangar in the city of Rienti, which is located 60 km (37 miles) away.
The Government also adopted a state aid of Euro 1,000 for relatives (up to grade 2) who go to Italy to support surviving members of families affected by the quake, and of Euro 3,000 for Romanians who can work and want to return to Romania.
Crews using bulldozers and steamrollers worked through the night to construct the open-sided tented roof to shelter the altar and the seating area. Officials defended the decision, saying it would be logistically hard to bring officials and relatives to the town with only one serviceable road.
However, many of those killed were tourists, and they’re remains have been claimed by family members who are opting for private funerals.
But grieving residents rebelled at plans to let them watch it on TV or be bussed to Rieti.
A total of 231 people died in Amatrice, 11 in nearby Accumoli in the August 24 quake.
Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos also was to attend since 11 of the dead were Romanians. No one was in the school at the time, but many were shocked that it did not withstand the 6.2 magnitude quake.
In the centre of Amatrice, which was voted previous year one Italy’s most handsome, crews continued to dig for bodies under mounds of rubble left by the 6.2 magnitude quake.
A court has sequestered a half-collapsed school in Amatrice in order to investigate possible negligence in recent construction work.
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Investigators are looking into work done on the bell tower in the town of Accumoli, which was recently restored but collapsed during the quake onto the home of a family of four, killing them all.
