Powerful quakes wreak new havoc in Italian mountain towns

Authorities scrambled to find housing today for thousands of people displaced by a pair of strong earthquakes that struck the same region of central Italy hit by a deadly quake in August, hoping to prevent a second night for them on the street or in cars.
The one-two punch packed by the quakes some two hours apart yesterday evening meant many people were out of harm's way before the second, more powerful temblor, which toppled many historic buildings that had survived previous jolts.
But no one was trapped in rubble and there were no reports of serious injuries. The only death in the aftermath was attributed to a heart attack in a 73-year-old man.

Thousands of people ran outside into a downpour, and many slept in their cars as it was too late for authorities to scramble for emergency shelter. The government today earmarked 40 million euros (USD 43.6 million) to help rebuild, while civil protection officials said the first priority would be to find people hotels and other structures.
"We have to avoid that people sleep in cars or tents," said the head of Italy's civil protection agency, Fabrizio Curcio. "The plan is to bring people to hotels and then to come up with temporary solutions with calm."
Mayors of towns scattered in the mountain region spanning the Umbria and Marche regions say many more homes were rendered uninhabitable, on top of those damaged in the devastating August quake. In the town of Ussita, Mayor Marco Rinaldi said his town had been "devastated," with up to 80 per cent of the houses no longer inhabitable.

Macerata prefect Roberta Preziotti said people were able to react quickly to the first quake because of the early hour.

"And by the time the second, stronger quake hit there was no one still in their houses. There was a quick reaction thanks to the time of day, which allowed an immediate evacuation," she told The Associated Press.
For some people in the mountainous region, the second jolt felt stronger than the Aug. 24 quake that killed nearly 300 people. Seismologists say the two new quakes and clusters of smaller shocks were aftershocks to the deadly event.
"This time the house was upside down, everywhere, the walls, the cupboards, the wardrobes were moving. The big wooden, heavy wardrobes were moving, were sliding around," Elena Zabunchi, a Ukrainian resident of Visso said.

Camerino Mayor Gianluca Pasqui said the town's historic bell tower had collapsed, but emphasised that reconstruction work after a 6.1 quake in 1997 appeared to have contributed to the absence of serious injury.
"I can say that the city didn't have victims. That means that even if there is a lot of damage probably the reconstruction in the historic center was done in a correct and adequate manner. Because otherwise, we would be speaking of something else," Pasqui told Sky TG24.
The president of Umbria region, Catiuscia Marini, told RAI state television that officials are scrambling to come up with temporary housing, mindful that with winter approaching and temperatures dropping, tents can't be deployed as they were after the August quake.