Quake funerals begin but death toll is still rising
A FUNERAL service has taken place for some of the 290 people killed in a powerful earthquake in central Italy, as the nation observed a day of mourning for the victims.
The funeral Mass for 35 people was led by Bishop Giovanni D’Ercole in a community gym in Ascoli Piceno, with the coffins laid out in rows and adorned with photographs and flowers.
Mr D’Ercole told mourners, who wept and held each other, to find courage to rebuild their homes and communities.
“Don’t be afraid to cry out your suffering – I have seen a lot of this – but please do not lose courage,” he said.
“Only together can we rebuild our houses and our churches. Together, above all, we will be able to restore life to our communities.”
The funeral was held as officials increased the death toll to 290 after more victims were pulled from the ruins.
The worst-hit town was Amatrice, which now has 230 confirmed deaths. It is there that the death toll has been rising. Elsewhere, 11 were killed in Accumoli and 49 in Arquato del Tronto.
Among those killed in the earthquake were three Britons: Marcos Burnett, 14, from London, as well as Will HennikerGotley, 55, and his wife Maria, 51, from Stockwell in London.
President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Matteo Renzi attended the funeral service in Ascoli Piceno, and before it began Mr Mattarella visited the town of Amatrice.
He arrived by helicopter at the edge of the town and was guided around by mayor Sergio Pirozzi, who showed him the extent of the damage.
The president also met and thanked rescue teams, who have been working since the quake struck early on Wednesday to save people trapped in rubble, and recover the dead.
Due to the vast extent of the damage, the president could only survey the damage from the outskirts as it was too dangerous to enter the sealed-off, once-picturesque town centre. It is feared the death toll may yet rise in Amatrice as rescuers continue to pick through the ruins of the town.
Last night, several people remained unaccounted for.
Overnight on Friday, residents were rattled again by a series of aftershocks. The strongest, at 4.50am local time yesterday, had a magnitude of 4.2, according to the US Geological Survey.
Italian scientific authorities said satellite images showed the ground below Accumoli sank 20cm due to the initial earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.2.
Many of the people left homeless have spent nights in tent cities where volunteers have worked to provide basic amenities.
As Italy observed the day of mourning, flags flew at half-mast and those hit hardest by the tragedy expressed their grief.