Further tremors in central Italy, thousands of evacuees

Earthquake devastation in Visso

 MACERATA -- About 100 more tremors were felt throughout the second night of quakes -- the strongest during the early hours of Friday morning, by the 4,000 people sleeping in temporary shelters due to the latest earthquake to hit the Marche region in central Italy, civil protection workers said.

The displaced people affected by the earthquake in the Macerata province are currently about 4,000, accommodated in temporary structures like sports pavilions and tents due to homes being damaged or destroyed, or to the fear of further risk. The strongest tremor of the night, which measured at 3.5 on the Richter scale, happened at 4:13 a.m. Friday.

 Renzi visited Camerino Thursday to see the places and people affected by the quakes, reiterating that “the tent solution is not viable -- let us not kid ourselves, winter cannot be spent like this. The earthquake is really testing us, but Italy does not abandon its citizens, we are stronger than this and we will succeed.”

 The problem is that throughout the whole seismic area there are a huge number of unsuitable buildings, and it will not be easy to find a suitable long-term solution for so many people. Many schools will remain closed until Oct. 31 in order to allow thorough inspections and controls.

 Some groups have already been transferred to hotels on the coast -- a first bus transported 120 people from Visso to Civitanova Marche, following instructions from the Civil Protection Service, who preferred not to put up another camp of tents, considering the low temperatures and the colder season to follow.

 More buses will follow and the number of people transferred to hotels elsewhere will increase -- "some people wished to delay departure until tomorrow in order to be better prepared, and tonight they will sleep at relatives or friends’ houses in nearby towns,” said Giuliano Pazzaglini, the mayor of Visso.

 The government has allocated 40 million euros to the zone and has announced a state of emergency. Another 2,000 camping beds are being sent over to be distributed to the people housed in temporary structures on request -- an outcome of a regional operating centre meeting.

 The mayor of Ussita, Marco Rinaldi said that his village is “devastated” and that “it is a disaster -- I believe about 80 percent of homes are damaged and unsafe, and with the new tremors, people are psychologically losing stamina.”

 “The situation is dramatic, only by miracle have there not been any deaths or people seriously wounded, but the damage is enormous,” said the Civil Protection assessor, Angelo Sciapichetti.

 nkd