The emergency rescue system
"withstood" the test after an August 24 earthquake in central
Italy, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Friday.
"Let's avoid hypocrisy - we're a seismic country," he said.
"There will be scrutiny to verify the responsibilities, we're
all at work each in his own place. But the rescue system has
withstood the impact".
The rescue operations "worked to perfection and made a lay
miracle happen" in saving 215 lives, Alfano said, calling this
"an incredible result".
The minister spoke from rescue operations base camp in the
Marche village of Arquata del Tronto, where he visited fire
fighters and other law enforcement troops deployed in the wake
of the disaster that has killed hundreds.
The fire brigade, the Civil Service Department, the Army,
the police, and volunteers from all over Italy have been working
around the clock to extract victims from the rubble.
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