ITALIAN PRIME minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday confirmed that the death toll in the powerful earthquake that hit the central Italian region of Abruzzo on Monday has now risen to 260.
Making his third visit in three days to the regional capital of L’Aquila, the city at the centre of the earthquake, Mr Berlusconi vigorously defended his government’s response to the tragedy while praising the work of the 8,500-strong rescue service.
“I have to thank these rescue workers, people who notwithstanding the continuing dangers from after-tremors are willing to risk their lives. In the wake of this earthquake, there has been a nationwide expression of solidarity that I have found moving. Italy has responded really well to this tragedy.”
Underlining the generosity of the Italian response, the prime minister appealed to people not to send food, clothes or blankets to the region. “We have more than enough of those,” he said, encouraging people instead to send donations to an earthquake post office account.
The prime minister admitted that, after he had initially flown over the earthquake zone in a helicopter, he had feared that the death toll might be as heavy as 1,000. Underlining the size of the rescue operation, Mr Berlusconi said that 31 tented villages, comprising 2,962 tents, 24 field kitchens and 14 emergency medical centres have now been set up.
The prime minister also said that the total number of homeless was approximately 28,000. Of these, 17,672 are living in the tented villages while nearly 10,000 have moved into hotels in the surrounding region, at government expense.
Given that some of the homeless had been reluctant to move far away from their damaged houses, mainly due to fears of looting, the prime minister was also keen to point out that he hoped to shortly enact new legislation that would introduce “very heavy measures” for those found guilty of looting.
The prime minister also confirmed that a state funeral for all the victims of the earthquake would be held in L’Aquila on Friday, presided over by the Archbishop of L’Aquila, Giuseppe Molinari.
Later in the day, Mr Berlusconi, wearing a building site helmet, visited the centre of L’Aquila to see for himself the extent of the damage. During his walkaround, he stopped to talk to one or two survivors.
With nine people still officially “missing”, it was confirmed yesterday by the minister of the interior, Roberto Maroni, that the search for survivors would go on until Sunday. Earlier this week, officials at the Protezione Civile pointed out that during the rescue work following last year’s earthquake in China, survivors had been found as long as five days after the earthquake.
Yesterday was also the day when many of the famous and mighty chose to express their solidarity with the people of Abruzzo. Speaking during his weekly public audience in St Peter’s Square, Rome, Pope Benedict XVI said: “I want to express my spiritual support for the people of L’Aquila, so badly hit by the earthquake. I share the sorrows and worries of those dear people. As soon as it is possible, I will visit you.”
The pope’s words prompted short-lived speculation that he might attend Friday’s state funeral. Vatican officials, however, later confirmed that the pope hoped to visit L’Aquila in late April.
Others to make gestures of solidarity included pop singer Madonna, the footballer Francesco Totti and Carla Sarkozy, the Italian-born wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Madonna, whose paternal grandparents came from the town of Pacentro, about 65km from L’Aquila, yesterday responded to a call for help from the town mayor with a donation of $500,000 dollars.
Totti, the AS Roma and Italy player, said that “the world of football will do its bit” to help raise funds for the extensive reconstruction work now necessary in Abruzzo, while Carla Sarkozy wrote to the regional governor, Gianni Chiodi, saying that she would like to contribute to the rebuilding of L’Aquila’s San Salvatore hospital.
One curiosity to emerge yesterday was that the prison authorities in L’Aquila decided on Tuesday night to move 140 high-security prisoners, including Red Brigade terrorist Nadia Desdemona Lioce and Mafioso Salvatore Madonnia, because of concern about the state of the prison building.
With the whole area still subject to after-tremors, some of the prisoners had apparently complained that they felt like “rats in a trap”.