fb-pixelRescuers race against the clock to find survivors in Italy quake - The Boston Globe Skip to main content

Rescuers race against the clock to find survivors in Italy quake

ROME — A strong earthquake struck central Italy early Wednesday, leveling buildings in several towns as residents slept. One mayor reported a family of four trapped under the debris without signs of life and another said simply: ‘‘The town isn’t here anymore.’’

The magnitude 6.1 quake struck at 3:36 a.m. and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy, including the capital Rome, where residents felt a long swaying followed by aftershocks. First images of damage showed debris in the street and some collapsed buildings in towns and villages that dot much of the Umbrian countryside.

Advertisement



The hardest-hit towns were reported as Amatrice and Accumoli near Rieti, with residents running into the streets as aftershocks continued into the early morning hours. As daylight dawned, residents and civil protection workers began digging out with shovels and bulldozers as dazed residents huddled in the open streets.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 6.2 with the epicenter at Norcia, about 105 miles northeast of Rome.

The mayor of Amatrice, Sergio Pirozzi, told state-run RAI radio that residents were buried under collapsed buildings.

‘‘The town isn’t here anymore,’’ he said.

The office of Premier Matteo Renzi tweeted that heavy equipment was on its way.

Associated Press