Emag.co.uk Entertainment News Leader
About 300 people have lost their lives in Central Italy after two quakes struck Wednesday at 7 p.m. and couple of hours later, sending fearful residents into the streets in panic.
The quakes were near to the site where a powerful earthquake of 6.2-magnitude had hit on August 24 and killed 270 people.
The first quake was of 5.5-magnitude and was about 9 kilometers away, south-southwest of the town of Visso, between Perugla and Macerata. The second struck with 6.1-magnitude at 3.2 kilometers north of Visso.
The affected area is full of narrow roads that link small stone villages. No injuries have yet been reported even though damages in Visso and Campi towns have been witnessed.
The first quake damaged a 15th century church structure of San Salvatore and second finished it off.
People in Campi are fearing small aftershocks may come.
The streetlights in Campi were powered by generators, but the houses remained without power in the pre-dawn hours. The rescue efforts were hampered due to no or little light and rescue workers were forced to listen for people calling for help.
The main square as well as the church in nearby Norcia got damaged too badly even though the structure is still standing.
Local media reports one man died out of heart attack after the quake.
US Geological Survey reports both the earthquakes were shallow.
Hundreds of people in Campi were seen sleeping in their cars parked everywhere including gas stations and parking lot after the attack with blankets covering the window.
