At least four people were killed as an quake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale struck central Italy early on Wednesday, a government official said.
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“Now that daylight has come, we see that the situation is even more awful than we feared with buildings collapsed, people trapped under the rubble and no sound of life”, Accumoli mayor Stefano Petrucci said.
Tourists more than 100 miles away from the epicentre of an quake that has hit central Italy were woken by the tremors.
Besides Amatrice, the worst hit towns were believed to be Accumoli, Posta and Arquata del Tronto, Cari told Reuters news agency, adding that helicopters would be sent up at first light to assess the damage.
‘Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and quake resistant construction, ‘ it said. “Two parents and two children”, mayor Stefano Petrucci told RAI television.
An quake hit central Italy at 3:36 a.m. Wednesday morning local time, Reuters reports.
At least three people were reported to have been killed in the quake and at least another four were trapped under the rubble.
Rescuers search a crumbled building in Arcuata del Tronto, central Italy. “I hope we get some help”.
The USGS graphics suggest “significant casualties” are likely to occur in Central Italy with small town of Accumoli, Norcia, Maltignano, Amatrice, Cascia and Cittareale are listed as most exposed to the quake.
The hardest-hit towns were reported as Amatrice, Accumoli and Norcia and there are thought to be multiple fatalities.
At least six people are believed to have died after a powerful natural disaster struck central Italy, destroying dozens of villages, according to local media reports.
The quake hit just after 3.30am local time and was felt across a large swathe of the country, including in Rome, where people in the historic centre felt swaying followed by aftershocks.
The mayor of Amatrice near Rieti, Sergio Perozzi, told state-run radio that the town “isn’t here anymore”.
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Italian news agency ANSA reported that there were damages to buildings in Ascoli Piceno, a town east of Norcia.
