Italy mourns quake victims as funerals held
Flags are flying at half-mast across Italy on Saturday as funeral ceremonies for many of those killed by Wednesday’s devastating earthquake take place.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Senate President Pietro Grasso and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi participated in funeral ceremonies for 35 people, including two children, held in Ascoli Piceno, near Pescara del Tronto.
State-run news agency ANSA said Renzi and Mattarella will visit other locations affected by the quake.
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook the mountain villages of Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto, 140 kilometers (86 miles) east of capital Rome, early Wednesday morning.
Italy’s Civil Protection Department raised the provisional death toll to 290 on Saturday.
It said that 230 people have died in Amatrice, 11 in Accumoli and 49 in Arquata del Tronto.
Italy’s cabinet decreed a state of emergency on Friday and has disbursed an initial 50 million euros [$56 million] to help quake-hit areas.
Separately, the Civil Protection Department said a total of 6.1 million euros [$6.8 million] have been collected through a text-message help campaign launched in the country.
Anadolu Agency
