Italian Earthquake Kills More Than 90, Many More T
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Date: 4/6/2009 8:08:25 AM
Sender: VOA News
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Italian Earthquake Kills More Than 90, Many More Trapped
By VOA News
06 April 2009
Firefighters remove debris in the city of L＇Aquila, after a strong earthquake rocked central Italy, 06 Apr 2009
A powerful pre-dawn earthquake struck mountainous central Italy Monday as residents slept, killing more than 90 people and trapping many more.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reported at least 1,500 people injured in the quake, which struck about 110 kilometers northeast of Rome near the medieval city of L＇Aquila. Authorities say dozens of other towns and villages in the Abruzzo region were damaged or flattened.
Thousands of homes were destroyed by the quake, which U.S. scientists measured at magnitude 6.3. Italian seismologists measured it at 5.8.
U.S. President Barack Obama sent condolences, as did Pope Benedict, who prayed at the Vatican for the dead and the injured.
Prime Minister Berlusconi canceled a trip to Russia to go to the stricken region, and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev responded with an offer of Russian help.
The Italian news agency ANSA said hundreds of people wandered in night clothes through the devastated streets of L＇Aquila 12 hours after the quake. Others camped in the streets or supermarket parking lots alongside the shrouded bodies of the dead.
Television footage showed rescuers struggling to free people trapped under what officials say are thousands of collapsed structures.
Authorities say badly damaged buildings include a cathedral, a church dome and a university dormitory in L＇Aquila.
Monday＇s earthquake occurred about five hours after a 4.6 magnitude quake shook Italy＇s north central region near Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region.
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