A view of Amatrice in central Italy that left in ruins following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday
New Delhi, August 24, 2016:
The death toll has gone ot 73 in a powerful earthquake that rocked Italy in Wednesday wee hours. Scores are feared trapped under debris in a devastating earthquake of 6.2 magnitude that rocked central Italy on Wednesday morning. The death toll is likely to go up.
The building came crumbling down when a majority of the residents were asleep, according to media reports.
The Italian government has launched a major rescue operation to dig survivors out of the rubble.
Italian media reported that Sergio Pirozzi, the mayor of Amatrice said,"The town isn't here anymore."
Reports say the quake caused extensive damage to the central town of Amatrice. Tremors were also felt in the capital, Rome. Italy's Civil Protection agency said the roads in and out of town are cut off and half the town has been damaged.
Officials warned the number of fatalities was likely to rise and compared the earthquake's intensity to Aquila in April 2009, in which 309 people died.