Italy earthquake death toll rises to over 241 people
The
death toll from a devastating earthquake in central Italy reached at
least 241 people on Thursday and could rise further after rescue teams
worked through the night to try to find survivors under the rubble of
flattened towns.
The
6.2 magnitude quake struck a cluster of mountain communities 140 km (85
miles) east of Rome early on Wednesday as people slept, destroying
hundreds of homes.
The
Civil Protection department officially revised the death toll down to
241 from a previous 247 given earlier on Thursday morning.
Officials
said they expected to confirm more deaths as the search operation
continued. Trucks full of rubble left the area every few minutes,
including one in which a dusty doll could be seen lying on top of tonnes
of debris.
On
Thursday, the sun rose on frightened people who had slept in cars or
tents, the earth continuing to tremble under their feet from
aftershocks, hundreds of which have struck since the quake. Two
registered 5.1 and 5.4, just before dawn. (Reuters)
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