Jolts spark panic but few hurt

ITALY: Three major earthquakes yesterday struck a region in central Italy hit by a deadly seismic event two months ago, but early reports suggested no-one was killed or seriously hurt.

The first quake was of 5.4 magnitude, the second 5.9 and the third 4.6. They brought fresh misery to an area 120 kilometres northeast of Rome.

‘‘The information we have is not as catastrophic as one might have presumed’’ after such large shocks, the head of Italy’s civil defence agency Fabrizio Curcio said, indicating ‘‘a few dozen’’ people suffered injuries.

‘‘At the moment we haven’t detected any serious situation, that’s the most important thing,’’ Curcio said, adding that no-one in hospital was critically hurt.

The tremors, which were felt in Rome and other places hundreds of kilometres away, had their epicentres close to where a 6-magnitude earthquake struck on August 24, flattening several towns, killing 298 people and leaving thousands homeless.

The mayor of one of the most affected villages, Marco Rinaldi of Ussita, said he was ‘‘quite hopeful’’ about everybody being safe, because people had rushed outside after the first earthquake.

But there was massive devastation, he lamented. ‘‘The area of our town is really finished, it is an apocalyptic situation,’’ Rinaldi added.

The mayor of Castelsantangelo sul Nera, another stricken municipality, said: ’’For sure there will have been some collapses . . . it is really tough,’’ he said, adding that rain and temporary power cuts were making it hard to check for casualties.

Castelsantangelo sul Nera is about 30km north of Amatrice, the town worst hit by the August tragedy.

Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi said some buildings that had already sustained damage collapsed after the latest quakes.

‘‘This quake certainly reawakens our fears,’’ Pirozzi said. ‘‘Thank God we have no dead or injured . . . believe me, this is what matters,’’ he said.

In Camerino, a nearby university town, the bell tower of the 17th century Church of Santa Maria in Via collapsed over a nearby building, but no-one was believed to be trapped underneath.

The Salaria highway and train services near the damaged areas were closed, and people were asked to keep roads clear for emergency services. Authorities in the surrounding provinces ordered school closures.

‘‘I want to thank those who are working under the rain in the earthquake zone. All of Italy embraces the people who have been hit again,’’ Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted.

Locals’ anxiety was exacerbated by dozens of aftershocks: footage showed people screaming and crying over their lost possessions. Makeshift beds were prepared for hundreds of people who fled from their homes.

There was panic during a football game in Pescara, where the second big shock was strongly felt. Crowds started leaving the stadium, and the match was suspended for a few minutes as players were also shaken. - TNS