At least 120 dead as strong quake strikes central Italy / Italy quake toll hits 247 as rescuers hunt for survivors

An earthquake with the magnitude of 6.2 struck in central Italy in the early hours of the 24 August 2016, in a remote area across Umbria, Lazio and Le Marche. The Local.it and other news sources reported on the incident and its aftermath and suggested that at least 250 people had been killed and many more injured.

The area of the earthquake was just north of the city of L'Aquila, where a quake claimed the lives of some 300 people in 2009.

In a statement expressing sympathy the European Commission reported that its Emergency Response Coordination Centre was closely monitoring the situation and was in contact with the Italian civil protection authorities regarding any help which could be requested.

• Primary Source

BBC News, 24.08.16: Italy earthquake: Death toll rises to at least 120 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37171953

Deutsche Welle, 24.08.16: Deadly earthquake rocks central Italy http://dw.com/p/1Jnxe

Politico, 24.08.16: Matteo Renzi: No one will be left behind after earthquake http://www.politico.eu/article/at-least-3-dead-after-italy-earthquake-norcia/

Wikipedia: List of earthquakes in Italy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_earthquakes_in_Italy

Earthquake Track: 6.2 magnitude earthquake 6 km from Accumoli, Latium, Italy http://earthquaketrack.com/quakes/2016-08-24-01-36-33-utc-6-2-10

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/16/2883, 24.07.16: Statement by Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides following the earthquake in central Italy http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-2883_en.htm

The Local.it, 25.08.16: Italy quake toll hits 247 as rescuers hunt for survivors http://www.thelocal.it/20160825/italy-quake-toll-hits-247-as-rescuers-hunt-for-survivors

Deutsche Welle 25.08.16: Hunt for Italy quake survivors continues as death toll rises http://dw.com/p/1JpDj

ESO: Background information: Scientists convicted over Italian quake http://www.europeansources.info/record/scientists-convicted-over-italian-quake/

EurActiv, 24.08.16: EU provides Italy with satellite maps of earthquake damage http://www.euractiv.com/section/med-south/news/eu-provides-italy-with-satellite-maps-of-earthquake-damage/

European Council: Press Release, 25.08.16: Letter of condolences from President Donald Tusk to the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi following the earthquake in central Italy http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/08/25-pec-letter-italy-earthquake/

The Economist, 27.08.16: An earthquake in Italy. Beauty and tragedy http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21705684-beauty-and-tragedy

The Local.it, 25.08.16: Italy quake: Probe opens into building collapses http://www.thelocal.it/20160825/italy-opens-investigation-into-building-collapses-following-quake

EUObserver, 25.08.16: Italy earthquake is test for Renzi https://euobserver.com/beyond-brussels/134761

The Conversation, 24.08.16: Italy’s deadly earthquake is the latest in a history of destruction https://theconversation.com/italys-deadly-earthquake-is-the-latest-in-a-history-of-destruction-64384

Deutsche Welle, 26.08.16: Refugees reach out to Italy earthquake victims http://dw.com/p/1JqEt

BBC News, 29.09.16: Italy earthquake: Race to help homeless as nights turn cold http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37496700

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