More than 50 aftershocks struck northern Italy overnight as thousands slept in tents or out in the open fearing to return to their homes a day after 16 people lost their lives and more than 300 were injured by a powerful earthquake. The aftershocks rattled the nerves of the 14,000 people who have been left homeless by the earthquake which hit Emilia-Romagna on Tuesday and a previous one which battered the area on May 20th. Experts said aftershocks could continue for days or even weeks, compounding the fear and uncertainty of the tens of thousands of people affected by the natural disaster in a triangle between the cities of Bologna, Ferrara and Modena. Many residents said they could understand why centuries-old buildings collapsed but modern buildings should have withstood the quake. There are suspicions that some were shoddily built with cheap materials. The government called for an investigation into why the damage to modern structures was so extensive.
Pray: for rapid responses from those with expertise and proven skills to meet the needs of all those affected by this disaster. (Ps.40:1,2)