dpa
Rome
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday visited the central town of Amatrice to pay tribute to the hundreds of residents who lost their lives in a deadly earthquake that struck the area 10 years ago.
“We will never forget the night of August 24, 2016,” Meloni was quoted as saying by her office. The premier met with relatives of some of the 239 people who were killed in Amatrice alone, according to local media. She was also due to take part in a memorial event and attend Mass in the evening.
A bell tolled in the town on Monday to commemorate each resident who lost their lives in the quake.
Mourners paid their tributes starting with a minute’s silence at 3.36am, the time that the worst quake struck with a magnitude of 6.2, hitting and almost entirely destroying the historic centre of the town in the span of seconds.
In all, nearly 300 people died in the series of earthquakes in central Italy, and several hundred were injured. Thousands of people in the area lost their homes and all they owned. After the quake, tremors struck the region for months. “Amatrice no longer exists,” said then mayor, Sergio Pirozzi, at the time.
A decade on, the townscape is still dominated by building sites and ruins. Many people are still living in emergency accommodation.
Despite billions in state aid, reconstruction has been gradual, with less than 40% of the damaged buildings restored, official data shows.
Meloni acknowledged difficulties in rebuilding the town. “Much has been achieved, but just as much remains to be done,” she said.
One local resident told broadcaster SkyTG24: “There are many building sites in Amatrice, and work is under way to rebuild the town. But there is still a great deal to be done.”