Magnitude-6.6 earthquake strikes central, southern Italy
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 rocked central and southern Italy, according to the United States Geological Survey. The German Research Centre for Geosciences said it had a depth of about six miles, which is relatively shallow. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries. Temblors in Italy last week left thousands homeless and in August a deadly quake there killed nearly 300 people. Ref. USAToday.
Many people are feared dead after an avalanche buried a hotel in central Italy following a series of earthquakes, state media reported.
At least 22 guests and several staff members were at the Hotel Rigopiano near the Gran Sasso mountain range when it was hit by the avalanche on Wednesday, a rescue group leader in the area told ANSA.
Rescue workers were not able to reach the area until the early hours of Thursday because of the poor weather conditions.
Central Italy was rocked by more than 10 tremors on Wednesday, four of them above a magnitude of 5, according to the US Geological Survey. Ref. CNN.
Italian officials say six people found alive in hotel crushed by avalanche
Rescue workers on Friday made contact with six people who are still alive after the Hotel Rigopiano in Abruzzo was hit by an avalanche on Wednesday, officials said. The survivors, who have spoken to rescue workers, reportedly are still under the rubble. Ref. USAToday.
Italy is having these earthquakes as often as Japan but without the kind of infrastructure to withstand them. I hope they find more people before the aftershocks happen.
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