Amatrice was among the hardest-hit towns
An earthquake with an initial magnitude of 6.2 and a series of powerful aftershocks rocked central Italy early on Wednesday, leaving at least 39 people dead and small towns in the area partially in ruins.
Amatrice, near the quake’s epicenter, was one of the hardest hit towns. An aerial picture over a central part of town showed a significant portion had been razed. The mayor, Sergio Pirozzi, told the Associated Press “the town isn’t here anymore.”
Civilians and rescue workers continue to search the rubble for survivors.