Pescara del Tronto 'desolate'

(ANSA) - Vatican City, August 24 - The bishop of Ascoli Piceno, Monsignor Giovanni D'Ercole, on Wednesday described a "desolate" scene in the Marche village of Pescara del Tronto where 10 people have so far been confirmed dead following the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that shook several central Apennine regions in the early hours of the morning.
    "When dawn broke I found a town that was destroyed, shouts, dead… We don't know how many there are. The situation is truly desperate and unfortunately this is not the only town, as others are in the same situation," the bishop told Vatican Radio. "We can't even reach some hamlets," he added, shortly after blessing the bodies of two young people who had been pulled from rubble. The prelate said the situation was compounded by the cold, while damaged roads impeded the arrival of rescuers. "There are ambulances and fire fighters, but it really is still not enough," Monsignor D'Ercole concluded.