Several thousand Italians were sheltering in cars and makeshift tent cities Monday as a series of aftershocks rattled towns across the northeast after a strong quake killed six people.
Sunday’s 6.0 magnitude quake reduced homes and historic buildings to rubble in the densely-populated Ferrara area, Italy’s industrial heartland but also home to priceless architectural and art treasures.
At least 24 aftershocks were felt through the night and heavy rains lashed the area as firemen and police made house-to-house checks and rescuers set up four tent cities to provide shelter for about 4,000 people.
“We are really afraid that there’s going to be another big one. I just can’t believe that the whole town has been destroyed,” said one resident of Finale Emilia, the epicentre of the quake, who gave his name only as Maurizio.
Many people were refusing to return home for fear that the weakened buildings could still collapse, and electricity supplies have been cut in many areas.
“We worked all through the night (to set up the camps),” said Sebastiano Lucchi of the Civil Protection agency. “We will stay here until the situation calms down.” Prime Minister Mario Monti was due to return Monday after cutting short a trip to the United States, where he was attending a NATO summit.
The disaster struck just over three years after a 6.3 magnitude quake devastated the central city of l’Aquila in March 2009, killing some 300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Six people were killed, including four nightshift workers in collapsed factories. A 37-year-old German woman and another woman aged over 100 reportedly died from shock while about 50 other people were injured.
Italy quake zone hit by aftershocks as 4,000 seek shelter
