Rome, 24 August (LaPresse) – “On the night of 24 August, ten years ago, a powerful earthquake with its epicentre between Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto, in the heart of the Central Apennines, struck numerous towns in Lazio, the Marche, Umbria and Abruzzo, and was followed by further aftershocks until early 2017. With a death toll of 299, 365 injured and over 40,000 people displaced, this earthquake – for which Amatrice has come to symbolise the devastation – represents a tragic chapter in the history of the Republic and serves as a constant reminder of the need to continually strengthen the prevention and response mechanisms to be implemented in the event of seismic events to which our territory is exposed ’. This was stated in a press release by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. ‘The volunteers who came from all over Italy, their invaluable and generous efforts, and the swift response of the emergency services provided aid and assistance, whilst also offering a sign of hope and renewal that marked the beginning of a process of reconstruction. Just as in other natural disasters that have struck our country, the spirit of solidarity that unites the Italian people has proved to be an effective source of resilience and strength in the face of calamities of such scale and violence,” continued Mr Mattarella.
2016 earthquake, Mattarella: “A tragic chapter, a warning to strengthen prevention measures”
Rome, 24 August (LaPresse) – “On the night of 24 August, ten years ago, a powerful earthquake with its epicentre between Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto, in the heart of the Central Apennines, struck numerous towns in Lazio, the Marche, Umbria and Abruzzo, and was followed by further aftershocks until early 2017. With a death toll of 299, 365 injured and over 40,000 people displaced, this earthquake – for which Amatrice has come to symbolise the devastation – represents a tragic chapter in the history of the Republic and serves as a constant reminder of the need to continually strengthen the prevention and response mechanisms to be implemented in the event of seismic events to which our territory is exposed ’. This was stated in a press release by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella. ‘The volunteers who came from all over Italy, their invaluable and generous efforts, and the swift response of the emergency services provided aid and assistance, whilst also offering a sign of hope and renewal that marked the beginning of a process of reconstruction. Just as in other natural disasters that have struck our country, the spirit of solidarity that unites the Italian people has proved to be an effective source of resilience and strength in the face of calamities of such scale and violence,” continued Mr Mattarella.