ROME (Sputnik) – The 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the central Italian Umbria region around 3:36 a.m. (01:36 GMT), resulting in extensive damage and triggering aftershocks as strong as 5.5 in magnitude.
At least 60 people died in the towns of Accumoli and Amatrice alone, Civil Protection service chief Fabrizio Curcio said on a visit to Amatrice with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
An additional 24 lives were claimed in the administrative region of Marche, the Civil Protection Department said in separate remarks.
