Saletta Italy, At
least 247 people were killed after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck
central Italy Wednesday, according to Italy's Civil Protection
Department.
The powerful earthquake hit 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southeast of Norcia at 3:36 a.m. (9:36 p.m. Tuesday ET).
Italy's
Civil Protection agency said of the people killed in the quake, at
least 53 of them were in the town of Amatrice, and at least 100 people
were injured. Other fatalities were reported in the nearby towns of
Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto.
More
than 1,000 people have been displaced by the quake, and the Civil
Protection agency said no residents were allowed to sleep in the
devastated town of Amatrice Wednesday night.
A
series of strong aftershocks have been felt since the initial quake,
including a 4.7-magnitude tremor that struck a few miles east of Norcia
early Thursday morning local time, according to the United States
Geological Survey.
The death toll from the quake was
expected to rise as rescue teams are continuing to work through the
rubble, with regular aftershocks posing a continuing threat.
"Right
now we feel terrible pain," Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said
after touring some of the affected areas. "Italy is a family that has
been hit and struck, but we are not going to be stopped."
Addressing
the nation Wednesday, Renzi vowed to spare no effort in the critical
window following the quake when lives could still be saved.
"In difficult times, Italy knows what to do," he said.
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