6.2 Mw Central Italy earthquake leaves at least 14 dead – Amatrice and Accumoli destroyed

Civil protection workers and civilians keep digging out with shovels, bulldozers and other equipment in order to save the trapped Italians. and their bare hands, trying to reach survivors.

By Irene Kostaki
Journalist, New Europe

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At least 14 dead after deadly earthquake of 6.2 Magnitude, 2km from Accumoli. Most dead and injured are found at Pescara del Tronto – Ascoli Piceno, the area that suffered most of the damage.
The main shock of 6.0 Magnitude  was measured by the Italian geodynamic institute (INGV) at just a 4km depth and was followed by two massive aftershocks of 5.1 and 5.4 Magnitude, while hundreds of smaller aftershocks have taken place after the main event that took place at 03:36 local time of 24 August 2016, 170 km (105 miles) northeast of Rome. Aftershock epicentres spread at a 100km long area, following an NNW – SSE trend, suggesting that the seismic fault is part of the Apennines Fault Zone, connected to the Apennines mountain range, a construction that consists of parallel smaller chains extending 1,200 km along the length of the Italian peninsula.
As Civil Protection and plain civilians continue fighting the clock in order to extricate as many people as possible from the wreckage,  seismologists wait for 48 hours in order to reassure that the 6.0 Magnitude quake – initially measuread as 6.2 Magnitude – is the main seismic event.

Main 6.2 Mw seismic event and aftershocks until 07:00 local time by INGV, Italian National Geodynamic Institute.

2009 6.3 L’ Aquila seismic event has left 308 people dead. 1997 Umbria earthquake severely damaged the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi and left 11 people dead. Italian seismic events that have taken place in the area at the last decade have common characteristics, as focal depth is very shallow, rarely exceeding 10km. Emilia Romagna seismic sequence has shown that aftershocks can be strong, even stronger than the main event so scientists are still cautious.
The hardest-hit towns of Amatrice and Accumoli near Rieti, are situated 80 km northeast of Rome, leaving the centre of Amatrice completely destroyed.

Seismic Intensity of the Mw 6.2 main seismic event, provided by EMSC (European – Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi reassured Italians on Twitter that help and heavy equipment was on its way to the troubled areas, via the Twitter account of Italian Ministers’ Cabinet.
The mayor of the quake-hit town of Accumoli, Stefano Petrucci, said at least six people had died there, including a family of four, and two others. Amatrice Mayor, Sergio Pirozzi, told RAI radio that residents keep remaining buried under collapsed buildings, while power was cut off and heavy equipment was needed to clear streets from debris.