ROME, Italy (AFP) — At least three people have died after a powerful earthquake struck central Italy in the early hours of Wednesday, local media reported.
The first confirmed victims of a quake which devastated dozens of villages were an elderly couple whose home collapsed at Pescara del Tronto in the Marche region to the east of the epicentre, national broadcaster Rai and other media reported.
The AGI news agency said at least one other person had died in Accumoli, a village close to the epicentre.
“We have a tragedy here,” said the village mayor Stefano Petrucci. “For the moment one death is confirmed but there are another four people under the rubble and they are not responding.
“It is a disaster, we have no light, no telephones, the rescue services have not got here yet.”
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