A strong aftershock with a magnitude of 5.5 to 5.7 on the MMS scale was felt in Italy's Abruzzo region as rescue operations entered into the second day on Tuesday. While death toll rose to more than 250.
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Three people cover themselves with a blanket as they take a rest in L'aquila, Italy, early April 7, 2009. The strong earthquake that hit central Italy on Monday has killed about 250 people, injured some 1,500 and left around 70,000 homeless, Italian media reported on Tuesday. [Wu Wei/Xinhua]
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Italian Primier Silvio Berlusconicalled for national solidarity "to face the situation by ourselves."
Local media confirmed that the aftershock in the evening damaged an ancient-time church and many houses partly damaged by Monday's main earthquake totally destroyed.
Earlier in the day, Berlusconi said the danger is not over yet. "There can be other small earthquakes in coming days, so it is better that people do not return home," he told local residents.
"The victims so far are 207," Berlusconi told a press conference earlier in the day in L'Aquila when visiting the towns hit by Monday's earthquake.
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A view of Santa Maria Paganica church, damaged after an earthquake in the Abruzzo capital L'Aquila April 7, 2009. [Xinhua]
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"Of these victims, 190 have been identified while other 17 remain unidentified, 15 people are missing and there are more than1,000 injured, 100 of which are in serious conditions," he said.
"Civil protection men are working hard and for the next 48 hours rescuers will search for other survivors," said Berlusconi.
"More than 7,000 men are at work," he said. "These people risk their lives and I want to congratulate myself with them, they are doing an extraordinary job considering the frequent ground movements complicate rescuing operations."
