Italian earthquake survivor: 'The town doesn't exist anymore. Nothing at all'
Rescue crews continued their efforts to search for survivors in the rubble that was once homes after an early morning earthquake claimed the lives of at least 240 people in central Italy. In the town of Amatrice, dozens are dead and much of the town is destroyed, according to the ANSA news agency.
"Unfortunately, it's 100% accurate. Probably more than 50 percent is gone," Tommasso Della Longa, spokesperson for the Italian Red Cross, tells As It Happens guest host Laura Lynch.
"It feels like an apocalypse. A lot of buildings in the centre are simply not there. It's very sad to see," says Della Longa.
The Red Cross is setting up tents for the victims of the earthquake and continue their efforts to find survivors buried in the rubble.
"We've found between 75-80 people alive, unfortunately we've found many dead bodies too, says Della Longa. "This is like my worst nightmare, we are living a nightmare."
THE TOWN DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE
Sabrina Fantauzzi tells Laura Lynch she was asleep in her bed in the tiny village of Illica when she was jostled awake.
"I heard a huge noise and the bed started jumping. I went to my children's rooms, I took them and we went down stairs and went outside into the square. And everything was in complete darkness," says Fantauzzi.
When light descended over the area, Fantauzzi was shocked to see what had become of the tiny village that was a tourist hotspot for Roman vacationers.
"The town doesn't exist anymore. Nothing at all."
Residents, civil protection workers and even priests began digging out with shovels, bulldozers and their bare hands, trying to reach survivors.
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's office said rescue teams were being sent to the worst-hit areas. Italy's civil protection agency said the earthquake was "severe."
"No family, no city, no hamlet will be left alone," Renzi said.
With Files from CBC News