Quake leaves 16 dead, 350 injured in Italy

Northeastern Italy is rocked by a strong earthquake on Tuesday, leaving deaths of 16 people and injuring 350 just days after another quake rattled the same region.

After a series of strong quakes that caused widespread panic among residents,
Rescuers spent the day searching through the debris for the one person Italy's civil protection authority said was still missing at nightfall.

The region was struck between 1056 GMT and 1101 GMT by three tremors of between 5.1 and over 5.3 magnitude, following a 5.8 magnitude quake just after 0700 GMT when people were heading into work, Authorities said.

According to the Geographical Institute of Modena, The first quake struck about 60 kilometers (40 miles) east of Parm and made shocked residents rush into the streets in quake-struck cities including Pisa and Venice.

The quake's toll was updated to 16 people killed and around 350 injured by the civil protection authority late Tuesday and anticipate the public for more aftershocks that may be possible in upcoming days.

"The sequence (of aftershocks) will be long and we cannot rule out that other strong quakes could happen," mentioned by Stefano Gresta, country's head of national Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.

The quake that hit Tuesday followed a 6.0 magnitude quake in the industrial northeast on May 20 which finished six people and left thousands in makeshift tent dwellings, and turn many homes and Historic chapels, churches and buildings to rubble.People then joined those already camping out in blue tent camps set up in parks and school playgrounds after the last quake.

The Emilia Romagna region added that over 5,000 people were realeased from their homes and emergency places for 4,000 homeless would be ready by nightfall.

"Last night was the first night we'd spent back in our homes after the first quake. Then another one hit," a resident told television in Sant'Agostino, SKY TG24.

A parish priest was killed by a falling beam in the town of Rovereto di Novi, after saving a Madonna statue as he return back to the church.

Some workers were crushed when factories collapsed, including Italian, Moroccan and Indian factory workers in San Felice del Panaro.

"I'm grief-stricken, speechless. I have no tears left to shed…. Everything happened so fast, in about seven to eight seconds. I saw everything begin to crumble," said Daniel who is a co-worker of the three victims.

Towns of Carpi and Concordia turned hazy because of dust, while rubble in Mirandola covered the Duomo floor and the roof gaped open to the sky.

The famous Ducal Palace in Mantua for a stunning collection of frescoes in the Wedding Room was damaged along with a number of historic churches.

Pope Benedict XVI sent his condolences to the victims' families.

In Pisa, where you can find the famous leaning tower offices, were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

People scattered into streets from shops and offices in Milan, Bologna and the Aosta Valley, close to the French border.

Panic reigned in Venice when a statue fell to the ground, lightly injuring a passerby.

As a precautionary measure, workers for Italian auto makers Ferrari, Ducati and Lamborghini were evacuated from their factories and all schools in the affected region and set to remain closed on Wednesday.

"The state would do everything it must do as quickly as possible to guarantee the return of normal life in this important region of Italy.", Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti promised.

Over a week ago, around 7,000 people in northeast Italy who fled their homes because of the quake are still living in around 89 tent camps erected in fields, sports fields, car parks and schools.

The region has been hit over the past two weeks by a series of quakes and aftershocks and has registered at least 800 tremors since May 20 according to the authorities.

The latest disasters devastated the city of L'Aquila in central Italy in March 2009 just over three years after a 6.3-magnitude quake, giving deaths to 300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. -GIAN — ARA