Levelled towns to be rebuilt

PREMIER Matteo Renzi has pledged new money and measures to rebuild quake-devastated central Italy amid mounting soul-searching over why the seismic-prone country has continually failed to ensure its buildings can withstand such catastrophes.

A day after the deadly quake killed 250 people, a 4.3 magnitude aftershock sent up plumes of thick grey dust in the hard-hit town of Amatrice.

The aftershock crumbled already cracked buildings, rattled residents and closed already clogged roads.

It was only one of the more than 470 temblors that have followed Wednesday’s predawn quake.

Mr Renzi authorised a preliminary €50 million in emer- gency funding and the government cancelled taxes for residents.

He announced a new initiative, “Italian Homes”, to answer years of criticism over shoddy construction across the country.

But he also said that it was “absurd” to think that Italy could build completely quakeproof buildings.

“It’s illusory to think you can control everything,” he said.

“It’s difficult to imagine it could have been avoided simply using different building technology. We’re talking about medieval-era towns.”

Those old towns are not required to conform to the country’s anti-seismic building codes.