After earthquake in Amatrice, residents need more help in rebuilding homes

World Today

A month ago, the Italian town of Amatrice was reduced to rubble, following a magnitude 6.2 earthquake.

Almost 300 died in the tragedy, that struck in the early hours of the morning.

CCTV America’s Dan Williams reports on how the town’s residents are coping.

One month after the quake hit, Amatrice remains a picture of devastation. The main square lies in ruins.

Blocks of apartment buildings and houses have been reduced to rubble and twisted metal. Hundreds died in an instant. The structures that remain, in time, may also need to be pulled down.

There are on-going efforts to try and retrieve possessions. It’s slow and dangerous work. The sense of shock and grief replaced by uncertainty.

The entrance to a school lies in a heap. Somehow, the main clock tower was left standing.

It is truly a desperate scene. But the pain for the locals is far from over. Almost 4,000 people were made homeless following the quake. And the race is now on to find them proper shelter ahead of the onset of winter.

Temporary shelters include kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. But it’s not a solution.

Many residents there are determined to rebuild the town at some point in the future. For now, though, the needs are more urgent.