Search for survivors

Firefighters and rescuers inspect damaged buildings in Amatrice on Wednesday, after a powerful earthquake rocked central Italy. The 6.2- magnitude earthquake left more than 70 people dead as of press time, with dozens injured or trapped under the rubble

A powerful earthquake devastated a string of mountain towns in central Italy on Wednesday, trapping residents under piles of rubble, killing at least 73 people and leaving thousands homeless.

The quake struck in the early hours of the morning when most residents were asleep, razing homes and buckling roads in a cluster of communities some 140 kilometers east of Rome.

A family of four, including two boys aged 8 months and 9 years, were buried when their house in Accumoli collapsed.

As rescue workers carried away the infant’s body, covered by a blanket, the children’s grandmother blamed God. “He took them all at once,” she wailed.

Accumoli mayor Stefano Petrucci said some 2,500 were left homeless in the local community.

Aerial photographs showed whole areas of Amatrice, voted last year as one of Italy’s most beautiful historic towns, flattened by the 6.2 magnitude quake.

“It’s all young people here, it’s holiday season, the town festival was to have been held the day after tomorrow, so lots of people came for that,” said Amatrice resident Giancarlo, who sat in the road wearing only his underwear.

“It’s terrible, I’m 65 years old and I have never experienced anything like this – small tremors, yes, but nothing this big. This is a catastrophe,” he said.

“Three quarters of the town is not there anymore,” Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi told state broadcaster RAI. “The aim now is to save as many lives as possible. There are voices under the rubble. We have to save the people there.”

The army was mobilized to help with special heavy equipment, and the treasury released 235 million euros ($ 265 million) in emergency funds. At the Vatican, Pope Francis cancelled part of his general audience to pray for the victims.