Amatrice, Italy: A strong earthquake struck central Italy early Wednesday, collapsing homes on top of residents as they slept. At least 11 people were reported dead in two hard-hit towns where rescue crews raced to dig out survivors from the rubble. “The town isn’t here anymore,” Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi said. The magnitude 6 quake struck at 3:36am and was felt across a broad swath of central Italy, including the capital Rome where residents felt a long swaying followed by aftershocks. A 1997 quake killed a dozen people in the area and severely damaged one of the jewels of Umbria, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, filled with Giotto frescoes.

Source: Mint August 24, 2016 02:48 UTC